“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” — A review by Abbey Hilton
Seeing as I read the book by Jonathon Safran Foer nearly a year ago, I was assured that I knew exactly what was going to happen in the film version of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. While I knew the basic plot and main events, I was not expecting to see the level of acting and film production that I did.
The film follows 9-year-old Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn); a child intelligent well beyond his years who finds joy in oxymoron contests and finding the location of the “lost” sixth borough in New York City. In Extremely Loud, Oskar journeys all over the state of New York to find a lock that fits a mysterious key left behind by his late father, Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks).
Oskar’s father tragically died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the film goes back and forth between the past and present, as it did in the book. Through these flashbacks, we get a sense of the undeniable bond Oskar and his father had. This, some may say, could become confusing. However, we must keep in mind that the entire film is narrated by a nine year old child plagued with anxiety. Sporadic scenes reflect his sporadic and racing thought process.
Aside from the acting, the visuals were astonishing. The shots told as much of a story as the characters did. One that stood out to me in particular was when The Renter and Oskar were standing in front of a ragged red wall. They stood facing each other at opposite ends of the frame, and it aroused a sense of anger and love at the same time. This was essentially the breaking point, when Oskar realized he may never find the lock. He was so angry at his hopelessness, yet it reflected the immense love he has for his father.
While the critics were rather tough with this film, I was thoroughly impressed. Yes, it was VERY sad most of the time, but it did its job at showing how broken and troubled someone becomes after such a tragedy. It was an accurate portrayal of mental torture and despair. The fact that people are saying that the film received an “unlikely” Oscar nomination is ridiculous. I am glad that Max von Sydow was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, but I feel like Jeffrey Wright, who played William Black in the film, should be nominated for an Oscar as well. While his time on the screen was minimal, his role was central to the plot, and his acting abilities are remarkable.
The only thing negative I have to say about the film, was that the beginning was a bit drawn out. I felt like characters could have been established a bit quicker.
Check out my previous article on the book and cast before the film version was released.
