Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (review)

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Thomas Horn ELIC
Thomas Horn

When tragedy strikes in life we can either run away from it, or face it head on. Then again, maybe there’s another approach. Perhaps we should do like Oskar Schell, (Thomas Horn) did in the heart rendering drama “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”.  Oskar systematically charted a course to try to make sense of his father’s untimely separation from him.

Grief is something that everyone deals with differently and yet at the same time very much the same.  While there is an overwhelming lack of acceptance or denial at first, this is often followed by anger, resentment, and a feeling of being cheated.  For Oskar it was all these things and more.  A boy who while extremely bright, in fact bordering genius, at the same time struggled with many symptoms of Asperger’s disease (Autism).

This movie was not only captivating but mixed with so many emotions that at times I found myself laughing and the next minute tearing up.  Thomas Horn was amazing in his role of  young Oskar. He eloquently portrayed the struggles of  a child dealing with the sudden death of his father. A father, who was not only missed, but one who could not even be given a decent burial due to the circumstances of his death. I could not help but be drawn into the life of young Oskar, feeling every emotion, every anxiety and anxious moment throughout Thomas’s entire performance.

The events of 911 are brought out in a very different way in this film.  Rather than dealing with the event itself, it instead shows us the life struggle of just one boy and his mother as they try to cope after their great loss.

Tom Hanks and Thomas Horn
Tom Hanks and Thomas Horn

Oskar’s Father, played by (Tom Hanks), did an amazing job in every scene in which he appeared.  Director Stephen Daldry’s  use of flashbacks was artfully interwoven throughout the film revealing life as it was before 911. A few of these flashbacks gave us a glimpse of how hard Oskar’s father worked to build a relationship with his emotionally handicapped son.  He would create adventures for Oskar that would become full fledged expeditions. Often these expeditions were nothing more than scavenger hunts designed to find clues to solve an even greater mystery.  These adventures proved to be the glue that bound them together and made Oskar feel fulfilled.

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One such adventure involved the story of a Sixth Borough in New York City!

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Hugo Magically Enchanting Amazingly Heartwarming

“I’d imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts you know?”

Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret
Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret

From the opening scenes Hugo catapults its audience into an adventure of wonder and intrigue. The use of 3D magic coupled with digital animation and live actors sets the stage for this wide eyed wondrous cinematic creation.

The film boast an all-star cast starring two amazing young actors Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret, and Chloe Grace Moretz as Isabelle.   The relationship between the two begins when Hugo’s life inadvertently becomes intertwined with the life of Isabelle’s Step Father. Their friendship bonds grow even stronger after becoming aware that both of them were orphaned through the loss of their parents.

Asa Butterfield
Asa Butterfield

Hugo (Asa Butterfield) is simply amazing in this film made for the entire family.  One of the first things I noted was his superb acting ability through his use of his facial expressions.  Not since Elijah Wood have I seen this in any young actor.  The masterful use of the camera by director Martin Scorsese  zooming in on our young protégé’s face peering through a huge mechanical clock, drew in the audience and immediately made us feel that we were about to see the world through the eyes of Hugo!

Asa played his part so convincingly that I immediately felt that I was a part of his great adventure and not just a spectator.  His supreme ability to show the proper emotions of hurt, pain, loss, and joy throughout the story made this film more than believable.

 

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