Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Review
Life was good for Oskar, an eight year old boy living in New York City. Oskar was thought to have Asperger’s Syndrome, but that was okay, because he had his dad, a dad who was his best friend and soul mate. Oskar’s father typically kept his son very busy; he had him on an extravagant scavenger hunt, where he was to find proof of New York City’s sixth borough. His father’s goal was not for Oskar to find this mythical borough, his goal was to encourage his son to explore and interact with people he didn’t know very well; hoping that Oskar would overcome his fears. Then September 11, 2001 came, and Oskar’s father died in the World Trade Center. A year later Oskar,who was still feeling lost and disconnected, came upon a mysterious key left by his father. Once again his search begins, as Oskar tries to track down the lock that matches his father’s mysterious key. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is a very sad, dramatic story about a boy coping with the loss of his father who died on 9/11.
Rating: 3 out of 5 buckets.
Release Date: March 27, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 16+
Sexual Content:None
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Talking Points:
As Oskar was searching for the lock, he met many helpful and sympathetic people. It was interesting to see the relationships that he developed on his quest. I especially liked his relationship with an elderly mute man, (known as the “Renter”) who often accompanied him on his journey.
The search to find the lock for his father’s key may seem strange, but with Oskar’s quirky behavior, it made him feel closer to his dad. He had some issues with his mother, wishing she would have died and not his dad, but deep inside he truly loved his mother and needed her.
Thomas Horn, the actor who played Oskar was amazing!!! His parents were played by Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, who had small parts, but were great as well.
The movie seemed a little long and boring in parts. My friend and I weren’t captivated until the last 45 minutes or so.
Sexual Content: None
Violent Content: Moderate
- We saw many heartbreaking clips from 9/11.
- We saw Oskar’s torso covered with self-inflicted bruises, where he pinched himself too hard.
- Oskar would occasionally lose his temper, he would throw things, tear up his maps and papers, and scream. This may be disturbing to kids.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- The s-word and a-word were used a couple times.
- Oskar and his doorman would insult each other, which sometimes sounding like profane words.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Character’s were shown drinking wine and whiskey.
A film about an autistic boy losing his father on 9/11 would of course be extremely heartbreaking and sad. Depending on the your child, I think the subject matter may be too intense for kids; even some pre-teen and teenagers. I would say it’s appropriate for kids ages 16 and up.
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