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Extremely loud and incredibly poignant

Director: Stephen Daldry

Starring: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and Max von Sydow

Whether we know it or not, we’re all looking for something. Something we feel passionately toward, perhaps a friend or a hobby, but most likely an answer to a question that may be impossible to find.

In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, nine-year-old Oskar Schell, played by newcomer Thomas Horn, experiences something that no one should have to experience—the loss of his father in the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. After replaying the messages his father left on the morning of the tragic incident, Schell feels the urge to search through his father’s closet—to feel his presence and smell that familiar scent he misses—where he ends up knocking over a vase that contains a key his father has left behind.

Schell knows exactly what this key represents—it represents the final game of Reconnaissance Expedition he would ever play with his father. Since he needs to find out who the key belongs to, he uses his incredible amount of knowledge and keen imagination to devise a plan that will lead him to the right person while traveling all over post-9/11 New York City.

Fourteen-year-old Horn, who got his big break after winning on Jeopardy Kids Week in 2010, does a fantastic job of portraying Schell and diving into all of the emotion the character experiences. Even though this is his first acting role, Horn blends right in with big-league stars Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and Max von Sydow and the chemistry he has with each of them is indisputable.

Although Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close revolves around a moving and thought-provoking script, the most intense scenes don’t dig deep enough—which is definitely Bullock’s fault—and may leave audiences longing for more. If you pick up Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, which this movie is based off of, you’ll experience a much deeper and captivating story you won’t be able to put down.

If you’re searching for a sugar-coated, happy ending with a conclusion that answers all of Schell’s questions, this movie isn’t for you. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is based off of honest, ongoing family tragedies that sparked from one of the most obscene terrorist attacks in history. It’s heartbreaking, it’s confusing, it’s real life.

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