Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - 10 stars out of 10

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - 10 stars out of 10

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Heartbreaking is one of the most emotionally charged films of the past ten years.  There are no words to describe this incredible performance by young teen Thomas Horn in his film debut.  He is on-screen for nearly every minute of the film and never falters in his characterization, bringing home the mental anguish of a boy who has tragically lost his father and cannot comprehend why.  I am shocked that a lot of people have criticized his performance, saying that it is difficult to like this character.  We aren't supposed to fall in love with his character - we are supposed to begin to understand the agony that was experienced by the families that lost a loved one in 9/11.  This film really was a perspective-changer for me.  Whenever I hear someone mention "the victims of the 9/11 attacks," I immediately think of the 2977 innocent people who lost their lives on that day.  But unlike other films that have used 9/11 as its backdrop, this movie explores the long-lasting effects on the people who lost their husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, or daughters during the attack.  And even more, this is only one story.  There are 2976 other stories out there, one for each family.  "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" brings the humanity back to this tragedy, instead of letting it become one more event in the history books.  I can attest to its effectiveness as the moviegoers exited the theater in a stunned silence that I have never experienced before.  Even during the peak emotional moments, there was not a cough, the crunch of popcorn, or even the squeak of a theater seat - just an energetic silence and the sound of tears rolling down everyone's cheeks.  The musical score by Alexandre Desplat beautifully enhances the film, both through its tragic, subtle piano nuances and also through his treatment of silence at poignant emotional moments.  Emotional impact aside, Max von Sydow is incredible as The Renter as he brings incredible expression to this character without a single word (and though his twist is predictable, realizing the twist for most of the film before it is revealed is a clever way to keep you guessing the same things as Oskar).  Also, Sandra Bullock has some impressive cry moments and the twist in the story involving her in the end is incredibly moving.  Tom Hanks is barely in the film but it doesn't matter - the chemistry between him and Horn in the first 10 minutes creates all meaning in this film.  The story is very well written, simultaneously producing emotional suffering with a heartwarming theme.  This film is not for the faint of heart, particularly with the 9/11 attacks still fresh on our society's mind, but it will certainly leave you speechless with a sympathetic heart toward the families who are still suffering from these attacks today.