Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close [DVD]

This film was savaged by the critics on both sides of the Atlantic, but it is actually rather good - not great, but enjoyable, never boring, often moving and certainly an improvement on the somewhat tedious novel. The film script tightens up the plot and although still anachronous, like the book, omits most of the irrelevant back-stories of the grandparents. The film will probably be viewed more favourably in the future. Even though the story is driven by events of "9/11" (the 2001 collapse of the World Trade Centre's twin towers in New York), the film is probably best approached as the story of a young boy who is fearful of the modern world, insecure, obsessive and possibly suffering from a mild form of autism, whose beloved father tries to build up his confidence by organising expeditions for him. After his father dies on 9/11 11-year-old Oskar finds a key together with a cryptic clue (the words "not stop looking" circled on a press-cutting), which he believes will lead him to a final message from his father. Unable to communicate with his grief-stricken mother, Oskar determines to overcome his fear of lifts, bridges, public transport, strangers, etc., in the quest to locate the lock the key fits, guided by the name Black written on the envelope he found it in. By the end of the film Oskar has triumphed over adversity, reconnected with his mother and gained enough confidence to happily use the swings which he refused to sit on at the start, to his father's disappointment, as they were "not safe". This act also leads to him finding his father's last message. The key had nothing to do with the message but the quest lead him to it. One's individual response to the film will probably depend upon whether one is sympathetic to Oskar - who is on screen for some 95% of the time - and his nervous, insecure behaviour, exacerbated by the loss of his father, the only person who seemed to understand him. Otherwise Oskar could be regarded as just an intensely irritating, know-all nerd. The role of Oskar is given a remarkably fine performance by 13-year-old Thomas Horn in his first film. The camerawork of Chris Menges is always imaginative and involving, whether indoors or on location in New York's lesser known environs. The Blu-ray disc version has several interesting extras, including 20 min. on the making of the film, 8 min. about Thomas Horn, and especially a 44 min. featurette on Max von Sydow (Oskar's mute grandfather) with rehearsal sequences and on-location anecdotes.

I was a bit worried about this movie when I read the 1 and 2 star reviews, but I think that most people will agree that this movie is quite good indeed. It is about a boy with possible Asperger's syndrome whose father tragically died in 9/11. Because of the boy's "condition" his relationship with his father was something that pretty much represented his whole world and identity, so when dad dies and he finds a treasure which his dad may (or may not) have left him, he decides to pursue solo an adventure as if he was with dad (to kind of stretch his memory of his father and continue to make saense of the world as he did). Now, reviewers called the boy "spoiled". I am sure having Asperger's syndrome and losing one's dad at 10 years old does not qualify a child as "spoiled". Annoying - kind of, but what I saw was very well acted anguish, deep sentiments of fear and overwhelming agony at human interactions. The movie is well acted by all, and the plot, while embarassingly twisted, is not in any way ridiculous, life is full of little coincidences. So overall a great movie, but depressing as anything.

It is a very good film. The impression I got was that Tom Hanks wanted there to be film about the Al-Qaeda terrorist attack on the New York Twin Towers on 11 September 2001 with him in it, and, I think, it is a very good one. The acting is superb throughout, with the stand-out performance going to the young lad aged around 12 called Oskar Schell in the film and Thomas Horn in real life. Oskar Schell's Dad is Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks dies in the Twin Towers and his aspergers/autistic son Oskar finds a key in his Dad's possessions that prompts him to go on a search throughout New York looking for the lock that the key belongs to. The constant backdrop is the attack on the Twin Towers, with recorded messages of Tom Hanks desperately trying to say a few last words to his son before he dies. The start of the film was slow, but the fact that it starred Tom Hanks, (or at least it did at the start), kept me wanting to continue to watch. There came a point where the film gripped me and held me spellbound to the end, not least because of the qualithy of the acting, (it is an all-star cast), but I have my doubts that people are going to want to watch it multiple times, hence the four stars and not five.

I saw the movie just 2 days ago and I completely fell in love with it. I read the book as well and I would say that the movie is even better. It's such a great story and Thomas Horn acts the leading role like he has never done anything else in his life. What I like the most about this movie is its unusualness. The story doesn't end like everyone would expect it does after seeing the first 30 minutes. All the time you think oh yeah he will find the lock and that's it but then the movie turns around and something happens what nobody would ever thought of. At last I would say that everyone who didn't see the movie yet should do it now cause you'll really miss something.

Anybody who remembers the awful tragedy of 9/11 cannot fail to be moved by this film and I think it portrays what life must have been like for many children and adult partners as they sought and still seek to come to terms with that event and the loss of a loved one. The cast where great and there was real feeling in the way they acted which brought you into the situation whether you wanted to be there or not. A film well worth watching, if only to remind us just how fragile our time and relationship are, and it reminds us that what we leave behind are memories for others to cherish and respond to.

... nach einem Schlüssel ohne Schloss, nach den schönsten Momenten im Zusammenleben mit dem Vater, nach dem Sinn eines Lebens ohne ihn, und nach der eigenen Identität. Darum geht es in Stephen Daldrys Verfilmung von Jonathan Safran Foers Erfolgsroman -Extrem laut und unglaublich nah-. Ich habe das Buch gelesen und damit unglaubliche Probleme gehabt, obwohl ich Safran Foer sehr schätze. Als ich jetzt die Verfilmung sah, musste ich erkennen, dass Stephen Daldry den Kern der Geschichte sehr viel besser verstanden und umgesetzt hat, als es mir seinerzeit gelungen ist. Das Ergebnis ist ein Film, der bewegt, berührt, anregt und unterhält, also: Alle Bedingungen erfüllt, die einen guten Film ausmachen. Nach dem Anschlag vom 11. September wird Oscars(Thomas Horn) Vater Thomas(Tom Hanks) für tot erklärt. Das Verhältnis zwischen Oscar und Thomas war so tief und innig, wie man es sich nur vorstellen kann. Oscar und seine Mutter Linda(Sandra Bullock) fallen in ein tiefes emotionales Loch, aus dem sie sich nicht befreien können. Auch die Hilfe der Großmutter(Zoe Caldwell) ist da nur ein Tropfen auf den heißen Stein. Als Oscar eines Tages einen Umschlag findet, auf dem der Name "Black" steht und der einen Schlüssel enthält, denkt Oscar an den Vater zurück. Der hat mit dem Jungen immer wieder Expeditionen in New York gemacht und ihm dabei abenteuerliche Geschichten, zum Beispiel vom verschollenen sechsten New Yorker Bezirk erzählt. Oscar glaubt jetzt, dass der Schlüssel eine Aufgabe seines Vater ist, um eine Spur zu verfolgen. Er macht sich auf den Weg, um alle Blacks in New York abzuklappern... Ich habe es nicht kapiert: Wieso musste ich mich so durch diesen Roman "ackern" ohne echte Freude dabei zu empfinden? Daldrys Umsetzung versprüht so viel Charme, Liebe und Weisheit, dass einem das Herz ganz weit aufgeht. Mit Liebe zum Detail und einer hervorragenden Besetzungsliste hat Daldry alle Register gezogen. Eine tiefe Verbeugung möchte ich vor der Schauspielleistung von Max von Sydow machen. Wie er den stummen "Untermieter" spielt, das hätte sogar einem Marcel Marceau zur Ehre gereicht. -Extrem laut und unglaublich nah- besticht ebenfalls durch eine symbolstarke Kamera mit innovativen Perspektiven. Daldry hangelt sich behutsam an einem roten Faden entlang und "dröselt" die Geschichte nach und nach brillant auf. Er fängt vor allem den Schock und den Zustand der Nation nach 9/11 mit ausdrucksstarken Bildern ein. "Sein" Ende der Story ist phänomenal gut. -Extrem laut und unglaublich nah- ist ganz großes Kino. Von mir gibt es dafür die ultimative Empfehlung zum Anschauen. Stephen Daldry hat Safran Foers Geschichte in einer Art und Weise auf die Leinwand gezaubert, die ich vorher nicht für möglich gehalten hätte. Ich ziehe den Hut vor dieser Leistung.

Críticas malisimas!!pero yo la vi por pura curiosidad al ser una de las películas nominadas al Oscar en 2011 y la verdad es que me gustó mucho!!ya se que esta no es una página de críticos!!así que al grano!!el audio es bueno y el video también!!llego en el plazo acordado y me encanta tenerla en mi colección!!recomendable!!

Extremely Loud Incredibly Close è un magistrale adattamento cinematografico dell'omonimo romanzo di Jonathan Safran Foer, eccellentemente interpretato da Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, dal giovanissimo e brillante Thomas Horn, insieme alla straordinaria partecipazione, nonostante l'età, di Max von Sydow. Giustamente candidato come Miglior Film agli Oscar 2012, si tratta di un film d'impatto, emotivamente coinvolgente e che indaga, mettendole sotto la lente di ingrandimento, tematiche delicate come i rapporti familiari e la ricerca di se stessi e del proprio 'posto nel mondo'. L'edizione blu-ray, sono felice di dirlo, è straordinaria: sia l'audio che i sottotitoli sono in diverse lingue e la qualità video è superlativa. I contenuti extra sono davvero interessantissimi: troviamo un "making of" del film, un mini-documentario sul personaggio di Max von Sydow (girato dal figlio), una serie di interviste che si concentrano sul personaggio di Oskar Schell (il protagonista) ed infine un approfondimento sul legame tra il film e l'attentato dell'11 settembre, molto più 'concreto' di quanto si possa immaginare (vi consiglio assolutamente la visione di questo extra!). Voto all'edizione blu-ray: 10

very good dvd

Ce film est comme le dit le titre "Extrèmement fort". Il nous fait suivre la quête d'un jeune garçon "surdoué" limite autiste et très attachant. Le scenario a la finesse de se concenter sur les émotions et la souffrance du petit bonhomme qui cherche un sens à la mort de son père plutôt que sur l'intelligence du petit dont il n'est même jamais question. L'émotion est omniprésente, sans jamais verser dans le pathos, ça m'a véritablement retourné! J'ajouterais que l'acteur qui joue le petit mérite franchement un Oscar!