Monday, March 5, 2012

MOVIE REVIEW ... EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

 

POSTER -extremely-loud-and-incredibly-closeAdapted from Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, Director Stephen Daldry’s new work has received mixed views.  Based on the September 11 attacks its emotive subject matter has been seen as a ploy for garnering Awards.  Whilst it has indeed been nominated for many glittering prizes, its main reason for existing should be to stimulate the mind and soul.  That it mostly doesn’t is a fault of an unclear narrative smothering good intentions.

September 11 2001 is a day young Oskar (Thomas Horn) will never forget.  Discovering his beloved father Thomas (Tom Hanks) was one of the victims of that day’s attacks, he tries to discover why this happened.  His grief stricken mother Linda (Sandra Bullock) is unable to provide answers setting him on a quest to uncover his own.  Finding a key hiding in a vase in his father’s wardrobe, little does he know it will unearth a familial mystery.  Helped by a mysterious stranger (Max Von Sydow) the journey he takes forever changes him.

Occasionally having flashes of genuine pathos, ‘Extremely Loud’ almost fails on every other level.  The main reason is the depiction of Oskar’s autism.  It isn’t particularly established enough to allow understanding of his behaviour.  At times he comes across as being irritatingly rude to those doing their best to help him.  This isn’t the fault of Horn - who plays him well - it just makes it very difficult to join such an unlikeable character on his travels.

Other characters fare no better and never really contribute much to the overall story like Von Sydow’s role serving little purpose in changing Oskar’s viewpoint.  Having an overly melodramatic tone with swirling violins highlighting Oskar’s troubles don’t help either even if the conclusion is reasonably satisfying.  It’s a struggle reaching that point however with the production only the sum of its parts.

Told in an artificially confected manner, ‘Extremely Loud’ never really amounts to much.  Although involving in some places its coldness in conveying its story decreases any of its noble intentions.

extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close-00928

Movie Review Rating  5 / 10

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

If you have any comments to make about this Movie Review, then please use the comment box, titling your comments with Movie Review Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close

Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.

Official HomePage click HERE

DVD

SOUNDTRACK

BOOK

No comments:

Post a Comment