Movies with a child actor usually make me worry - I'll either be scared to death or heartbroken. Stephen Daldry's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is in the second group.
An adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's novel, the movie is about nine-year-old adventurer Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn). Oskar is obsessed with the memory of his father, Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks), who died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
In an attempt to feel close to his dad again, Oskar searches for the meaning of a key he finds in a paper bag in his dad's wardrobe. The bag has the word 'Black' on it. Oskar decides to visit all 400-plus Blacks in New York city.
Thanks to young actor Horn's realistic portrayal, the movie is heart-wrenching. The script is sad but not cheesy. The emotional scenes work because of the well-executed speechless moments and silent backgrounds, which make you hold your breath.
The movie has drawn extreme reactions. Some critics claim it is a take-it-for-granted tear-jerker. Others say it falls short when compared to other 9/11 films.
But they miss the point. Daldry is the genius who directed Billy Elliot, about a boy chasing his dream. Extremely Loud, likewise, is about a boy learning a very painful lesson while growing up in the process.