Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

While political thrillers and documentaries abound, Stephen Daldry's precariously balanced melodrama is one of the first films to delve into the painful, personal tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and how they affected American families who lost loved ones. Adroitly adapted by Eric Roth from Jonathan Safran Foer's 2005 bestseller, the story revolves around how an isolated young boy's imagination eventually allows him to come to terms with a traumatic loss for which there is no rational explanation. Curious, sensitive 11-year-old Oskar Schell's (Thomas Horn) equilibrium was shattered when his beloved father (Tom Hanks) died on September 11th, “the worst day,” as Oskar refers to it. Withdrawn from his anxious, widowed mother (Sandra Bullock), Oskar may have Asperger's syndrome, although “tests were inconclusive.” But when Oskar finds a key in a hidden envelope that's labeled “Black,” he becomes obsessed with finding the lock it fits, which involves interviewing every New Yorker with the last name Black. While pursuing this mysterious, citywide quest, grieving, neurotic Oskar interacts with an eclectic assortment of people, including his resilient German grandmother (Zoe Caldwell), her mute renter (Max von Sydow), Stan the doorman (John Goodman), and an estranged couple (Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright). An extraordinarily life-affirming tale that packs a wrenching emotional wallop, this Oscar-nominated film is highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “Finding Oskar” on star Thomas Horn (8 min.) and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a “Max von Sydow: Dialogues with the Renter” segment by von Sydow's son (44 min.), a “making-of” featurette (20 min.), a “Ten Years Later” featurette on the 9/11 memorial wall (12 min.), and bonus DVD and UltraViolet digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this Best Picture nominee.] (S. Granger)