Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

4 stars

Rating: PG
Stars: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn

Horn and Bullock are superb in this emotional story of family.

What’s the story?
A year after Oskar's (Horn) father, Thomas Schell (Hanks), passed away in the tragedy of 9/11, he is still struggling to understand why the attack on the Word Trade Center occurred. As Oskar grows more and more frustrated with his mother (Bullock) for not being able to answer the questions he has about the tragic day, their relationship starts to deteriorate. One day, Oskar finds a key hidden in his father’s closet and vows to find the owner and the lock it opens. The search becomes a journey of self-discovery where he learns to come to terms with his father’s death and uncovers the importance of family.

Why see it?
This film gives the audience a suffering family that is relatable and easy to root for. Bullock’s tremendous and believable performance as a mother seemingly losing her child after a tragedy sells the story, and the great acting by the young protagonist played by Horn makes the film worth watching.

Problems?
Perhaps not a big surprise, there is a hint of American patriotism present in this movie that cannot be ignored. So, if another patriotic Hollywood film about 9/11 doesn't sound appealing to you, this is a movie you'll want to skip.

All in all:
A heartfelt family movie.