Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Starring: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, et al.

Oskar (Thomas Horn) is convinced that his father (Tom Hanks), who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, has left a final message for him hidden somewhere in the city. Feeling disconnected from his grieving mother (Sandra Bullock) and driven by a relentlessly active mind that refuses to believe in things that can't be observed, Oskar begins searching New York City for the lock that fits a mysterious key he found in his father's closet. His journey through the five boroughs takes him beyond his own loss to a greater understanding of the observable world around him.

• Format: DVD
• Language: English
• UPC: 883929240944
• Release Date: May 2003
• Rating: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Publisher: Warner Home Video
• Director: Stephen Daldry
• Starring: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Max von Sydow, Zoe Caldwell, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, James Gandolfini, John Goodman, Stephen McKinley Henderson
• Runtime: 2 hours, 9 minutes
• Number of Disks: 1
• Other Video Info: NTSC; Subtitled
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.5" x 5.4"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

A polarizing presentation

The film itself is not really a masterpiece, nor is it boring. But it does seem to bring out that in the viewer. So, there must be some underlying truth that it brings out for those with the propensity to see. The story is simple, but the telling is complex, and many of the people are intricate. I need to break here to say that I thought that Max von Sydow as “The Renter” added a great deal to the ambiance of the mystery. The story is of young Oskar Schell, who loses his father to the 9.11 events. His father always set Oskar off on missions to find things about life and history. So, when Oskar finds a hidden key, he assumes that it will tell him something about his father. So, he embarks on a mission to find the lock that fits the key. His only clue is the word black written on the key’s envelope. Following this clue, Oscar begins to explore and grow. We explore and grow with him. If you like films about kids finding mysterious keys from dispatches to fathers, then do not overlook a similar film, “Hugo,” also derived from a book, and not as well told as the book.