Plot: What’s it about?
September 11, 2001 changed the face of this country forever and affected everyone (some more so than others). It’s now passed the ten year anniversary, though I’m sure that some remember it like it was yesterday. I won’t sit here and rehash my personal story – we’ve all got them. There are so many “what if’s” that it’ll drive a person crazy trying to figure out and comprehend what the events of that day really meant. Surreal? You bet. But as we all know, life goes on and that’s the basis behind Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, based on the best-selling novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. For those that are left, the real challenge is moving on. We all cope with things in different ways and as we see the post 9/11 world through the eyes of Oskar (Thomas Horn); we start to understand what his personal battles are.
Oskar (Thomas Horn) has lost his father (Tom Hanks) in the 9/11 attacks. The two were extremely close and Oskar was often sent on “reconnaissance expeditions” by his dad. These “expeditions” forced Oskar to think outside the box and use what resources he had to figure out an ultimate mystery. A year after his father’s death, Oskar finally gets the nerve to explore his father’s closet. By accident, he breaks a vase but it holds an envelope and a key. The envelope has but one word on it: “Black.” Oskar takes this as the final “reconnaissance expedition” from his father and makes it his mission to figure out what lock this key fits. We follow Oskar as he, literally, knocks on every person’s door who goes by the name of “Black” and for better or worse, see his highs and lows. Mid-way through he picks up a sidekick who’s only known as “The Renter” (Max Von Sydow). This man has taken a vow of silence and only communicates via the words “Yes” or “No” (one tattooed on each hand) or by written response. There’s something else there, but Oskar can’t put his finger on it. Lest we forget Oskar’s mother (Sandra Bullock) who’s battling her own demons with the loss of her husband. Still, we can’t help but wonder if Oskar will ever find the lock for his key.
There’s a lot of symbolism going on in the film and I won’t point it all out. I watched the film by myself as my wife has her own unique story about September 11 that I won’t get into here. The film was one of the nine Best Picture nominees and before seeing it, I felt it was the weakest of the bunch. I now know that’s not the case. With Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock in the cast, there were some pretty hefty expectations put on young Thomas Horn. He did an amazing job and I can’t see why he wasn’t nominated as well. This kid is good! Max Von Sydow, at the age of 82, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor without uttering a single word of dialogue. He ultimately lost to Christopher Plummer in Beginners, but it’s evident that talent doesn’t fade with age. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close isn’t an easy movie to watch – very few films about 9/11 are. I make it through 99% of the films I see with a dry eye, but this one affected me in a way I didn’t expect. Yes it’s been called “predictable” and “corny” but I beg to differ. It’s been over ten years since September 11 and maybe some folks aren’t ready to see films about that fateful day. When that day comes, though, this is a must-see.
Video: How does it look?
The film is shown on Blu-ray in a 2.40:1 AVC HD transfer that looks downright amazing. The detail is so precise that you can literally see everything. Newsprint on the newspaper, debris in the street, the individual hairs on Max Von Sydow’s head. I’m constantly in awe as to how good some of these new films look. The majority of the movie takes place either indoors or in the concrete jungle of New York City and as such we get a bit of a de-saturated palette. Flesh tones are a bit on the washed out side, but that’s not a fault of the transfer. The only thing that I saw was at the end of the movie, a building had a bit of shimmering in the background. This day and date Blu-ray is yet another example of how good films can look at home and I’m hard-pressed to find anything else wrong with the way this looks. Top notch.
Audio: How does it sound?
While not as impressive as the video, the DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack has a few moments of its own. For those that are curious, this doesn’t have a lot of archived footage of 9/11. Yes, there are a few scenes that show the buildings, but we don’t get the “shock” effect from some of the other films about that day. Dialogue is rich and full and at the heart of this film. As previously mentioned, actor Thomas Horn is in nearly every scene and has tons of lines – each sounds amazing and well-centered. Surrounds are present, adding some dynamic depth and ambiance in the robust New York City. The track is purposely subdued, yet strong at the same time. I really found nothing to complain about, though admittedly there are stronger soundtracks out there.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This two-disc Blu-ray edition has a scant offering of supplements as we start off with “Finding Oskar.” Actor Thomas Horn was discovered on Kids Jeopardy! of all places! Moving onto the Blu-ray exclusives we find “Ten Years Later” as the surviving members of the “McGinley” family are interviewed. Daniel McGinley was a victim of 9/11 and his real-life picture was put in the film where it was recognized by several people in the test screenings. We meet with his brothers as they tell their tales of their brother and his long-lasting influence. On the surface I’m inclined to say this is obligatory, but the “Making Of ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close‘” is actually very interesting. We see the adaptation of the book from script to screen, casting and the physical design of the set. It’s a twenty minute feature that offers a lot more than meets the eye. Finally we get a conversation with Max Von Sydow in “Dialogues with ‘The Renter'”. We don’t get a lot of actual dialogue with the veteran actor, though what we do get is certainly interesting. There’s also a DVD of the film as well as an UltraViolet copy.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – The Greatest Reconnaissance Expedition – Own it on Blu-ray
