STUNNING " Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"

THOMAS HORN IS THE BRILLIANT YOUNG STAR
OF THIS IMPRESSIVE MOVE

This is a movie of exceptional power, and unusual appeal. For me the horror of what happened on "9/11" has been so appalling that I have refused to look at the film of the events, except on one occasion when I saw a TV documentary which technically examined what happened to the twin tower buildings.


I can still recall the morning I went out to collect the paper from our front lawn, and there unfolded it,only to see the horrible news, then rushed inside to turn on the TV news and see the appalling images and the consequent turmoil and anguish of the great city of New York. I had no desire to see such distressing and painful images again.


I was interested to see this film because it deals with a family's torment in the wake of the great tragedy.The story is fictional and concentrates on the effects as they are manifested in the only son of the Jewish family that has lost its father in the terrorist attack.It also interweaves the story of the dead father's own estranged father. The star of the film is Thomas Horn and he is an extraordinarily gifted actor. That someone of his age - 12 years old - could create the character of the son with such emotional maturity is nothing but amazing. One would however wonder how anyone of that age could achieve what he has without putting himself at some psychological risk.

AN ASTOUNDING PERFORMANCE

I would urge anyone who appreciates good film not to miss this one. It is emotionally draining and it has one flaw, a 10 second scene only immediately following the collapse of the towers. But it is nothing in the great scheme of the whole film.