On a Tricky Subject

Stephen Daldry’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” is an interesting film, part adventure story, part coming of age story, and all tearjerker. Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn) is a bright, precocious kid whose loving and slightly eccentric father Thomas (Tom Hanks) died at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attack. In the aftermath, Oskar, while rummaging around his father’s closet, comes across a small vase, which he accidentally breaks. Inside the vase is a small manila envelope with the word “Black” written on it, and inside is a strangely shaped key. Oskar believes this is a clue left by his father — an extension of the “reconnaissance missions” the two used to go on in New York’s Central Park. So Oskar embarks on a mission to find the mysterious “Black” and the lock that matches the key. Eventually he teams up with his grandmother’s lodger (Max von Sydow), an elderly man who does not ­­— cannot? — speak, and who communicates with notes. They go all over New York City and meet some unusual people along the way. Which is fine, as far as it goes. But since this is a 9/11 film, the grim reality of that day hangs over the film. It’s not always an easy fit. The audience is duped into believing that Linda Schell (Sandra Bullock) is dealing with her trauma and grief by not doing much of anything. Then in the last ten minutes we find out this is not the case at all. An awkward moment, to say the least. Oskar has the Schells’ phone answering machine stashed away, with six messages from Thomas on the fateful morning. These are parceled out throughout the film — why? To create suspense? Drama? Or because the screenwriter couldn’t think of anything else to hold the story together? Frankly, the entire thing was getting a little irritating by the time The Great Plot Twist occurred. So, the film is too long, and too quick on the tearjerker trigger. Plus “precocious” is awfully close to “bratty.” On the plus side, Daldry’s direction is understated and effective. No great swelling blasts of cheesy music, no overwrought dramatic scenes, no embarrassing comic relief. And there are excellent performances from von Sydow, who doesn’t look much different from the time he played chess with Death in “The Seventh Seal,” and from Bullock, who shows far more ability than I ever suspected. So by all means check out “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.” It’s not a masterpiece, but it is a thoughtful and creative look at a tricky subject. “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” is running at The Moviehouse in Millerton, NY, and elsewhere. It is rated PG-13 for themes, images and language.