 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
- Review Date: December 25, 2011
- PG-13
- Genre: Drama
- 2011
Common Sense Media says
Drama about child's 9/11 loss stirs up sadness.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer about an 11-year-old with Asperger's syndrome (or something very similar to it) who loses his father in the Sept. 11 attacks -- and how he copes with the loss a year later. Some scenes include graphic 9/11 imagery and news clips and may be too intense for young children. (If you watch with your teens, it's a good idea to have a conversation about 9/11 beforehand.) There's also some swearing (including "f--k") and drinking. Although the film centers around loss and tragedy, many adult characters are strong role models, and there's a message about learning to accept the answers that life gives you.
What's the story?
A year after losing his father on 9/11, 11-year-old Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) longs for an answer to make sense of a world rendered fearsome and confusing. His mother (Sandra Bullock) is tormented with grief. His grandmother (Zoe Caldwell), who indulges him and his late-night walkie-talkie check-ins, can't make it all better. But one day as Oskar snoops in his father's closet, left intact by his mother, he topples a blue vase in which a small envelope marked with the word "Black" hides. In it is a key, and Oskar -- who enjoyed many adventures concocted by his inventive father when he was alive -- is convinced it's literally the key to his questions about "the worst day" (aka 9/11). But first, Oskar must find which person named Black owns the key so that he can find out what it opens. Could the sad woman in Fort Greene (Viola Davis) be that person? Will the strange old man who won't speak and who just rented a room in his grandmother's apartment help him?
Is it any good?
Whether you like EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE may depend somewhat on how you feel about Jonathan Safran Foer's novel of the same name, on which the movie is based, and about 9/11 itself, which is the backdrop to this wrenching, moving, but at times frustrating film. Some viewers may be put off by the use of 9/11 imagery, convinced that it's manipulative. But others may feel that the sadness depicted here is all too palpable and real and that what Oskar and his mother go through is just one valid and affecting experience that many others had in the wake of "the worst day."
Ultimately, it feels more like the latter than the former. With deep empathy for Oskar's perspective and great care, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close unpacks the baggage that he and his mother carry after the loss of his father, a caring man who understood his son's limitations and wanted to help him push against them. (Tom Hanks plays him winningly). Some may flinch at Oskar's seeming coldness about 9/11, and a plot point concerning the relay of messages hinges on a decision he makes on that day that may prove unpopular. Still, it's important to note that, first, he's a child -- and children can and do make decisions that may not make sense to adults. And second, he appears to have some form of Asperger's or autism, in which case his response makes sense. (Horn, who makes his feature-film debut here, is clearly very talented.) Despite some overdone expositional voice-overs, director Stephen Daldry approaches the material with great care and feeling, if not restraint. And in the end, he has made a film that's extremely moving and incredibly close to feeling quite real.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the movie's subject matter. Teens: What do you know about 9/11? How do you think the events of that day affected the children who lost their parents and/or other relatives?
How does the media usually portray/deal with 9/11-related stories? How does this movie compare to other depictions you've seen?
Why is Oskar so bent on finding the object that the key unlocks? What does it mean for him?
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AGE
Great for a mature child
This is a great movie to see with your child if he/she is mature and 10 or older. I think it's a good idea to talk through a few things about 911 beforehand (I had read the book) so nothing is factually confusing. It's pretty cerebral and emotional, so it's not for everyone, but it's a great antidote to the general spate of mindless movies out there. It is definitely one of those movies that you will want to discuss with your child afterwards, because it's pretty deep. But I highly recommend it.
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AGE
...wow
I cried...the whole movie...even before the kid lost his dad in the 9/11 inncedent...enough said.
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Kid, 11 years old
January 13, 2012
AGE
Great Movie For 11+
Well I have not seen it but a friend of mine and I are seeing it over the weekend. It looks like a tragic story and I recommend reading the ENTIRE review on Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
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AGE
Great movie, expect to leave the theatres in tears :')
I've also read the book, and they toned down the language & sexual content in the movie, it also didn't contain half the story line (which makes sense because the story was told from different characters' point of view.) Oskar uses some language that sounds like curse words because he "isn't allowed to say the real word". (< mentioned in the book) Overall, a great movie and Stephen Daldry did an amazing job. If you liked Billy Elliot, you'll love this. There are some intense scenes that may disturb some viewers, and the whole movie in general is just heartwrenching. If your child hasn't been impacted by 9/11, or has very little background knowledge about it, it will be harder for them to comprehend. Mature audiences only. I 100% recommend it =)
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AGE
Drama is Sometimes Treacly but Good Overall
I would give this a three and a half, but I have to round it to a four. I thought this film had a story definitely worth telling, and Thomas Horn (the young boy) had a very good performance in it. However, I think this film's main problem is the direction, which had flaws. I felt like there were moments in the film that weren't needed and were rather unnecessary, or made too dramatic. It's not deserving of a Best Picture nomination, but it's certainly something to see.
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Kid, 12 years old
January 21, 2012
AGE
Wow...expect a lot of tears...
This...movie...was...incredible. I don't like anything that has to do with 9/11, so I cried through the entire thing. So did my friends and family. Please go see it...it is extremely well written...has lots of heart...don't pass it up.
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AGE
Hey Man at the Front desk at the movie theater. Get me some tissues with that popcorn ok.
This movie is really sad. But still really good. It's violent cause the September 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and more than 6,000 injured. It is not for all ages because it may remind some people about somebody they lost in the September 11 attacks. Which is why its PG-13. But it's message is being silent and prey for anybody they lost who is related to them. It should have came out in september because September of 2011 was the 10th anevursery of all that horror 10 years ago. Cannot believe it was not a dream. But lucky for us. This may not happen to us ever again now that Obama ordered the FBI to Kill our worst enemy, Osama bin laden. It is sad, I feel bad for that kid. ;( But Other than that, It was a really cool movie and I loved it!
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AGE
Emotional history making movie includes a family tragedy.
This movie is about a kid with Aspergers and how he deals with the death of his dad during 9/11. In the past decade, the number of kids diagnosed with a developmental disability has almost doubled. And, 9/11 has impacted a lot of people. So this sells tickets because it is such a controversial subject. But the more typical situation is that the kid would want revenge against the terrorists who are at fault. So that's why this movie was made. The kid swears out of frustration and loses his temper a few times. This is good for anybody who likes emotional movies.
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AGE
garbage
rubbish. i gave it 1 hour before finally walking out. what an annoying child. tom hanks has done himself no favours with this one. dont waste your money
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AGE
A must see if you have lost someone near or dear.
This movie is a great example of how grief can processed and dealt with. Oskar holds many secrets and doesn't share them with the adults in his life. He starts to open up with adults who are not too close to him. This helps him process the loss of his father. It also helps him find wonderful, positive adults with whom he can share his story.
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| Topics: | book characters, friendship, history |
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Stephen Daldry |
| Cast: | Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 120 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 25, 2011 |
| DVD release date: | March 27, 2012 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | emotional thematic material, some disturbing images, and language |
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