Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close starts with the funeral of Oskar’s father, Thomas, who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. Through a flashback the movie follows Oskar as he tries to find where the key that he found in his father’s possession fits, thinking that it will reveal the last message his father had left. Through this scavenger hunt he meets different people and finally comes to terms with the death of his father.

It was hoped that this film’s release would coincide with the 10th anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers due to its subject matter but this was not to be. The delay did not hinder the film in any way; it is still a marvelous little tale that will surely bring tears to your eyes. It has even garnered attention from the Academy having been nominated for Best Picture and for Max von Sydow’s performance as Best Supporting Actor. Thomas Horn, who plays Oskar, deserves a mention since this is his first film and he performs extraordinarily well. Hopefully this is not the last we hear from him, it would be a considerable waste!

Even though it has been generally well received, some critics feel that the film used the terrible moment in history in order to garner audiences. It might be difficult to include such an event in a film without being seen that way but Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close does not seem to be a movie that tries to play on the memory of 9/11 since the attack is not the focal point of the film. Instead Daldry has created a wonderful film that will definitely make you forget these criticisms, it would be a mistake to miss it!