Movie Evaluation

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: An Autistic Childs Perspective Message 1: September 11, 2001:”Are you there? Hello? If you’re there darling pick up. I just tried the office, but no one was picking up. Ah, listen, something happened. I’m ok. There telling us to stay where we are and wait for the firemen. I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll give you another call when I have a better idea of what’s going on. I want to let you know that I’m ok and not to worry and I’ll call again soon. This was the first of six messages on September 11 2001 that 11 year old Oscar Schell (Thomas Horn) heard from his father Thomas Schell (Tom Hanks) that were left on the answering machine as tragedy was unfolding. His father was on the 105th floor of tower one as the first plane crashed into the building. This movie is based on events that took place during the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks. A young boy (Thomas Horn) named Oscar narrates the story of how the day unfolded from his point of view referring to it as “the worst day. ” Oscar comes home after being released from school because of the events that were taking place.

At this point he doesn’t really know what is actually happening. He continues in his routine grabbing a snack from the fridge and then pressing the play button on the answering machine. In this scene He listens to the first of six messages his father left as the events unfolded. He then turns on the television as the messages continue to play and witnesses what has happened and realizes his father is in the building. Just as the news camera captures the first tower falling Oscar falls to his knees, the pudding he got from the fridge spews everywhere and he begins to sob.

This movie is categorized as a drama. Certain aspects should be within a drama and relating criteria should be established this includes first and foremost emotion, second would be a powerful message, also if the movie is based from real events, such as this one, realistic scenarios should take place and last but not least quality acting and effective casting, which go hand in hand. In a beginning scene from the movie when Oscars mother Linda Schell (Sandra Bullock) gets a phone call from her husband Thomas Schell while she is at work.

You can hear the sheer panic in his voice and the chaos of distraught people in the background. Linda Schell now understands how dyer the situation is because he is in the building. She panics and tries to talk him into staying on the phone with her, they get disconnected. The viewer can easily relate to Linda’s fear and helplessness. Throughout the entire movie you can feel Oscars pain of losing his father. After “the worst day” Oscar refused to step foot in his father’s closet until one day he gathers the courage to do so. He is sorting through his father’s things when he knocks a vase off of a shelf.

The vase shatters and he finds a key and believes it was a last “reconicense mission” his father created for him. He deems it necessary to continue the game they played that consisted of Oscar going on “reconicense quests” that his father would develop for him so that he would face his fears of being out in society. Loud noises, lots of people and being out in public put Oscar on edge as he has Autism and he has much trouble trying to make sense out of the simplest things in life and understanding why he can’t make sense of them, but his focus of understanding turned to his father’s untimely death.

This movie does have a powerful message of how an unexpected tragedy can change lives forever. We may not have answers as to why or no complete understanding of what truly happens, but we must find a way to move on. As far as depicting real scenarios I believe this movie is right on point with one exception, Oscar was released from school as things started to take place. Before these attacks happened no one felt there was a real threat to humanity, but in a real situation such as this one, school districts, in my opinion, would not have released the children off on their own.

Even if no one quite knew what was happening. It is the facilities responsibility to protect and care for those children while they are under their care. This was the only scenario I didn’t agree with. It almost gives a misconception of how schools would react, I think. Last but not least a drama should have quality acting which would foresee effective casting. Someone might seem right for the part but cannot portray the character effectively, which doesn’t make it believable or relatable. If the wrong people are casted, who aren’t quality actors, it would create a different atmosphere for the movie.

It may not do so well if the characters aren’t portrayed effectively. I look for actors/actresses who have been awarded for their work and those I’m familiar with because there is a good chance the movie will be worthwhile. Overall Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a captivating, emotional and heartfelt movie about a boy with autism whom has just lost his father and learning to cope. With its quality acting and effective casting, powerful message and real life scenarios this movie is a must see.