tfife@mavs.coloradomesa.edu

After reading reviews from opening day, there was some regret on my choice to review Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close as well as hesitation to drive across town for the early afternoon Saturday matinee. There was hardly a decent word blogged, tweeted or posted anywhere on the web to suggest that what I was in for would in any way bring satisfaction, besides maybe the act of walking down the soda stuck aisle towards the glowing EXIT sign. I did, however, suck it up and make the trek to the multiplex and was much surprised to see the theatre packed with eager viewers after such dismal reviews.

In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Oskar Schell (Tomas Horn) is emotionally distraught after the death of his father (Tom Hanks) during the terror attacks on 9/11 and is convinced that he left a final message for him hiding somewhere in one of the five boroughs of New York City. Oskar is a very gifted child with a knack for detective work, sleuthing around the city trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together that his father left him. He is like a mini Indiana Jones adventuring across the giant city of New York, crossing great hazards and looking for clues. Oskar’s adventures may not be quite as grand nor his clues quite as great, and the only hazards to cross are those created in his own mind, but it does not make for any less of a compelling story.

The movie has a very morbid entry starting off in a cemetery and keeps that feel through much of the feature. It is not too much to bear though, as there are plenty of lighthearted breaks to get you laughing and the mystery of how the plot will unfold helps keep your engagement. The peculiarity of the main character and his refusal to believe in things that can’t be observed are the highlight of the movie and keep you wondering what young Oskar will do next.

Since Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a story heavily focused on losing one’s father and trying to make sense of what to do next, it hits especially close to home after losing my father as a young teen. For this reason I probably thought higher of the film than many other critics as it is far easier for me to view the world from Oskar’s eyes and feel what he is going through. Also, for this reason I would rate this movie as possibly the saddest movie ever made; my eyes still burn from tears while writing this review and it is close to an hour after leaving the parking lot. I typically am not a fan of such “tearjerkers” but must say this is one I would gladly try to conceal my tears through once again, as this rather gloomy detective story is full of emotions and keeps you wanting more.