“In a word, superb”

Extremely loud and incredibly close is a great film. It is one of the few movies that can pull your emotions in pretty much every direction and do it without losing the film’s pace. It is very deserving of the two nominations at the Academy Awards, one for Best Picture and the other for Best Supporting Actor Max von Sydow.

The film is directed by Stephen Daldry who had also done Billy Elliot and The Hours. He has a film style that makes you connect with the characters easily and naturally.  Almost like the journey is yours as well as the main character’s.

Tom Hanks plays a German-American jeweler named Thomas Schell. He does a wonderful job playing a loving father and husband. His time is spent teaching his son about anything and everything. He is well educated and became a jeweler to provide for his family. His wife Linda, who’s is played by Sandra Bullock, is working mother who works a 9-5 so she is typically home to take care of their son, Oskar. Bullock’s character is a very quiet and seemingly disconnected person but loves her family unconditionally. She is having a rough time dealing with the death of her husband and caring for her son with his anxiety.

When she has to work, Thomas’ mother lives across the street so she is around as well. Sometimes at night when her grandson needs to talk with someone, he will call her on a walkie-talkie next to her bed. It is not until later in the film you discover she has a roommate simply called The Renter played by Max von Sydow.

The story’s main character is a kid named Oskar Schell played by Thomas Horn.  Horn was cast by the producer when he saw him win kid’s Jeopardy. He is a brilliant kid and this is his first time acting. He does as well as someone with training and I am very impressed by his performance. He puts everything he has into the character and never falls short.

Oskar is a socially awkward kid that needs help with trusting people but has a big heart.  His social anxieties sometimes seem to interfere with him enjoying some of the simple things kids do when playing such as swinging in swings just playing at the playground.

The movie opens to a scene with people falling out of the sky which are people jumping out of the World Trade Center on 9/11, which Oskar calls  “the worst day”. Oskar is also the narrator of the story. Up front, you’re told that Thomas was killed while inside one of the Towers. You get to know how Oskar and Linda are coping after this tragedy but they almost seem like strangers living together.

When Thomas was alive, he liked to make scavenger hunts and riddles for his son to complete.  One ongoing task called Reconnaissance expedition 6, was to find New York’s sixth bureau and Thomas would tell his son that he has to look for the clues.  The reasoning behind having his son complete these tasks was to teach him how to be social and interact with people to hopefully bring him onto his shell.

One day Oskar, after the death of his father, looks through some of his things and knocks over a vase in the closet.  When it shatters on the floor, a small envelope falls out containing a key and only has the word “black” written on it.  Oskar believes it is a clue that would keep him attached to his father just a little longer. He makes a list of all of the people in the phone book with the last name “Black” and the first people on his list are Abby and William. From this encounter on is real start of an amazing story.

Viola Davis plays Abby, who doesn’t get a whole lot of screen time but makes the most out of it when she does. The emotions from her performance are very real feeling. Jeffrey Wright is a fine actor who has the ability to give an honest a performance no matter the character. Oscar nods should have been given to both actors in how they played the Blacks.

It is very easy to feel attached to the characters and the story. Daldry make sure that you make that attachment but it’s not forced and feels completely natural. From its opening, you know that if it was your father lost or even your journey to take, it would be trying and emotional until you reach your destination.

In a word, superb. Another well made transfer with a lot of love out into it. The most notable part of the video transfer is the coloring. It is brilliant and really jumps off of the screen. Horn has very bright, blue eyes that make a focus point and showcase a strong 1080p transfer within the film. Also, I feel that the director purposely dressed Horn in bright clothing so that you could see him running through the busy streets of New York and not get lost in the shot. The shots inside the apartment later after 9/11 didn’t seem as bright and cheery as when Thomas was still alive. It lost its happiness after that point in the film.

The sound is also mixed very well. DTS-HD MA 5.1 is showcased well in this blu-ray. The loud city all around Oskar seems like it is deafening to him and grows louder as he has feels panic. The audio, however, is very rich and expansive with the ambient sounds of the city. The people, the cars, the squealing brakes on the subway, the sound of Oskar running and the tambourine never overpowering each other. There are also sections of the score and scenes on the subway which have a deep, rich bass and clear treble. Just goes to show that every film needs a well mixed soundtrack.

The release contains a blu-ray, DVD, and UltraViolet Digital Copy
Finding Oskar- a featurette about casting Thomas Horn as Oskar Schell
Making Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close- a making of featurette
Ten Years Later- a small featurette about remaking the 9/11 wall with a friend of the crew’s
Max von Sydow: Dialogues with “The Renter”- building the character named “The Renter”

This is one of the most emotionally jarring films I’ve ever seen.  The every actor gave a believable and honest performance.  The underlying subject matter of 9/11 was an emotional experience for everyone, some more than others, but you feel like this is your journey. The release itself is a excellent, including the triple play and having a beautiful slipcover. Near-perfectly done. Audio and supplements needed just a little bit more and would make it perfect. Fair warning, this movie had the ability to leave me a wreck, so be prepared. On the other hand, it is a brilliant “must see” which is completely worth your time and a great addition to your collection.

Purchase Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Combo Pack