Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011) - Drama/Mystery

Rating: 8/10

Summary: After Oskar (Thomas Horn) loses his father after the attack on the world trade center on 9/11, he finds a hidden key and goes on a journey to find who is belongs to.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is a heartbreaking film that follows Oskar Schell on his journey to self discovery and he owner of the mysterious key he finds. Though the film got a little slow in the middle it did not take too much away from the rest of it. This film is one that pulls at the heart strings and brings on tears multiple times throughout it's entirety. Oskar's journey is not so much one that

searches for the owner of the key, but a journey of understanding. After the death of his father he is lost, and lonely without the company of his best friend and the only person in the world that really understood him. In the end it's clear he didn't really care about the key, he just wanted answers to why his father had to die, which is what is so terribly gut wrenching about this film. It's about a child who so badly wants to understand but can't; because there are somethings that don't make sense.

Thomas did brilliantly for such a young actor. His performance was sensational, he played the oddball child perfectly and in the more emotional and serious scenes he became mature behind his years. More

importantly he was believable. For once I didn't find myself thinking, "Well he's good for his age," he was amazing in general. This is even more impressive considering he was placed next to incredible and award winning actors; Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis etc. Thomas moved me to tears and had me feeling for him which is incredible for an actor of his age.

There is not much more to say about the film except that I very much recommend this to everyone. It's (for the most part) a family film, with some very important themes I think are important for children to learn. It's also very much a tear jerker so bring tissues and a blanket, make sure you have a buddy with you as well because watching this alone is extremely difficult (take it from me I needed about a million hugs after this film). Overall I thought it was a wonderful movie, very entertaining, very sad, but also triumphant and heart warming, 8/10 passing grade.