Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

(Stephen Daldry, 2011)

Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by Dave Lancaster

Summary: Overly emotional, directionless but impassioned and heartfelt 9/11 drama 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' is a noble film.
 

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A child's search for an emotional release that he can't yet comprehend is the crux of Stephen Daldry's melodramatic post 9/11 drama.

'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' follows Oskar Schell, a boy who loves his father's games and challenges. When the father (Tom Hanks) dies in the terrorist attacks on September 11th, Oskar is desperate to keep his spirit of adventure and discovery alive.

When Oskar finds a key, the chase is on to find out which lock it fits - forcing this awkward, lost boy into the lives of relative strangers for clues.

Aiding him the most is a silent old man, known only as The Renter (played to Oscar nominated effect by Max Von Sydow), whose own secrets and traumas are similar to Oskar's own. The dice keeps rolling, the pieces keep moving, the world keeps turning. Life goes on.

What Daldry's film lacks in direction, it makes up for in humanity. Snapshots of rich characters are brilliantly drawn by the talented cast, adding a soul to a story that lacks so much.

Like the Holocaust, the effects of 9/11 are going to be explored on screen in numerous different forms. 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' may not tap into so many conflicting emotions that engulf tragedy but it's an admirable, if flawed, grasp at catharsis.

Check out our wealth of video material (including interviews, clips and trailers) from the theatrical run of 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' HERE at Cinemas Online.

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