EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

US, 2011, 129 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Max von Sydow, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, John Goodman, Zoe Caldwell.
Directed by Stephen Daldry.

Even a decade or more after September 11th 2001, the images and events are still firmly implanted in many people’s memories, some having to process the shock and the grief, especially for friends and relatives whose bodies have never been recovered. It was traumatic for Americans who judged they were under attack. It stepped up the war on terror (though this is not an element in this film). This is the story of one family and a young boy’s love and attachment to his father who was killed while atr a meeting in one of the twin towers.

There have been a number of films about September 11th, including Paul Greengrass’ United 93 and Oliver Stone’s World Trade Centre. It has featured as a theme in such popular films as Remember Me. This film makes the events very personal.

The title comes from a book that the young boy, Oskar Schell, makes for his mother, a life memory culminating in what he calls the ‘worst day’.

Because we know very soon that Oskar’s father, Tom, has died in the collapse of the buildings, it is necessary for the actor in that role to make a quick and lasting impact before his death since he will be seen in only the flashbacks. Tom is played by Tom Hanks which is a wise choice for the audience to respond strongly to him. On the other hand, Oskar is so attached to his father that he neglects his mother, even wishing that she had died instead of his father. Again, a strong piece of casting is needed for the mother to make an impact even though she is put in the background until the final part of the film. She is played by Sandra Bullock, another wise piece of casting. She has some very emotionally demanding scenes with Oskar which she plays very well – though the revelation of how she has protected him since his father’s death comes as a surprise (some might say that it seems too far-fetched).

But, the film belongs to young Thomas Horn who is in almost every scene. While a lot of his communication with the audience is in constant voiceover, his performance is very strong indeed. He tells a character that he was once tested for Aspergers. It may well be that he is an Aspergers’ character, full of exact, detailed information which he rattles off, statistics, scientific information, blunt opinions, phrased very directly. His expression of emotion is very limited, lavished on his father and then his memory of his father.

When he accidentally finds a key with ‘Black’ written on an envelope, he decides to find the lock that the key will open. His father had encouraged games of wit and intelligence, expeditions which would make Oskar think but also communicate with people, something he dreads. Oskar devises a scheme for visiting every person named Black in the New York phone books. It is an obsession but forms the core of the film, Oskar meeting people and listening to their stories. Another family favourite is his grandmother (Zoe Caldwell). Through her, he discovers an eccentric old man (Max von Sydow) who rents from his grandmother. He is invited to accompany Oskar on his visits – and it is through the old man that Oskar learns about people, life and overcoming his fears.

The supporting cast includes John Goodman the concierge of the apartment block, and Viola Davis and Jeffrey Wright who play a crucial role in discovering where the key belongs – and another father and son issue, this time one of hostility. While Oskar cannot talk with his mother, it is the old man and Jeffrey Wright who enable him to spill forth his story, pouring it out in hurried detail and relief.

Direction is by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliott, The Hours, The Reader). His four films, including this one have all received Oscar nominations for Best Film. The film is very American in sensibility about family and relationships and some audiences will find it too emotional. And, of course, it has to be forcefully American in sensibility in dealing with respect for the victims and their families of 9/11.

1. The title? Evocative? The focus on 9/11? Oskar’s book? Giving it to his mother, her looking through it with tenderness and in detail?

2. The adaptation of a popular novel? The use of the voice-over, Oskar’s perspective on life and his family, on 9/11? The situations and characters? New York City? 2001, September 11th, the television footage, a year later?

3. The New York locations, apartments, Central Park, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan? The range of the neighbourhoods, the range of people’s lives and occupations? Americana?

4. Oskar’s viewpoint, his age, precocious, his appearance, his talking about Asperger’s syndrome? His talk, manner, reciting facts, intense detail, introspective, restraining his emotions, his personal reserve?

5. Tom and Oskar, Tom as a loving father, loving his wife? His background as a jeweller, his imagining what he would have been had he not been a jeweller, an engineer, scientist? His wife, in the background, yet a strong personality, keeping the books? Tom as inventive, creating games for his son, quests, explorations, clues, interrogating his son, his characteristic shrug, at home, at Central Park and his story of the swing and the leap? The quality of his life?

6. His wife, Sandra Bullock in the role, in the background for Oskar in the early part of the film, her love for Tom, her grief at his death?

7. 9/11, Tom going to the meeting, the phone calls, the gradual revelation of what was happening, Tom leaving the message, seeking Oskar? Oskar unable to listen to the sixth message? His wife, at work, the phone call, the final communication, trying to keep him on the phone?

8. Oskar, at school, his entanglements with the concierge, the insults? Oskar coming home, the phone calls, seeing the news on the television, his fear and panic? His later regrets and feelings of guilt?

9. A year passing, his not coping, his keeping his mother at a distance, communicating with his grandmother via the walkie-talkie? Going into his father’s cupboard, reaching out for his camera, the vase dropping, the smashing, the key coming out, the envelope with ‘Black’ written on the back?

10. Oskar setting himself up for a further quest, to find the lock for the key? The concierge and giving him all the New York phone books? His telling lies – and counting them as he lied throughout the day? His being methodical, the lists, the files, the cross-references, the addresses, the boroughs? Lying to his mother about where he was going?

11. His visits, the range of people that he met, the man who hugged him intensely, the hostile woman who refused to answer, the pianist, the girls with the horses and his having a ride, the big family and the sketch of him? Meeting, talking, awkward, the collages of his visits to other characters? His failing in his quest?

12. The visit to the sad woman, her husband shouting, leaving? Her sadness? Her care for Oskar? A strong character? The later contact, the woman helping Oskar find her husband, his visiting the office, finding out about the key, the story of the vase, his father buying it as a gift for his mother? A revelation about his father but not what he was seeking? William Black and his own father, the clashes? The key as a gift from his father, his son’s inheritance? Oskar and his being able to confess to a stranger, asking forgiveness?

13. His concern about his grandmother, the discussions with his mother? The mysterious character of the renter? Oskar and his signalling his grandmother, her being absent, discovering the renter? The clash, the renter not being able to speak, writing notes, yes and no on each hand? The connection between Oskar and the renter?

14. The old man, his age, his presence in the apartment block, grandmother’s explanations? Oskar inviting the old man to accompany him on his quest? Accepting it? His becoming a grandfather figure? The irony of Oskar working out that he was his grandfather? Oskar’s conditions, rules, timing, his fear of going into the subway, wearing the mask, the old man’s demands, expectations, overcoming Oskar’s fears, Oskar not wanting to cross the bridge, feeling it unsteady? The old man leaving, notes, arrows and sense of direction? The effect on Oskar? Changing?

15. The renter in the bar, the notes, his life story? In Germany, the deaths of his family? His not speaking? His marrying his wife, leaving?

16. Oskar’s mother trying to reach out to him, his whispering that he loved her under the door? Yet the argument, talking about his father, the memories, wishing that his mother had died in the explosion? The revelation that she had worked out what he was doing, was following him, meeting all the people and preparing them for Oskar’s visits, the advice that she gave? Seeing all the visits again in this different perspective?

17. The gift of the book to his mother? His being able to express his love for her? His going to Central Park, going to the swing – would he do the same leap as his father?

18. Themes of grief, pain? The sequence of the funeral with the empty coffin and Oskar taking it literally? His theories about space for people to be buried, burying up, burying down? His not believing in miracles? His focus on facts? And yet his discovering the truth in his quest?

19. The focus of 9/11 and its repercussions for ordinary people? Families, children?