Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
A grieving New York boy transforms a mysterious key into a citywide search for the meaning of his father’s loss.
Overview
A young boy's quest for closure leads him on a heartfelt journey through grief and discovery.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- earnest
- wistful
- reflective evening
- literary adaptation night
What critics said
Critics agreed that the film addresses worthwhile material with polished craft and strong performances, but many found its treatment of grief and 9/11 overly sentimental and emotionally manipulative.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Oskar follows clues from a mysterious key through New York while trying to process his father's death.
Oskar's bereavement and his mother's strained response are inseparable from the September 11 attacks.
Critics specifically described the production as treacly, pretentious, and emotionally calculated, while its polished presentation foregrounds the tragedy's affective scale.
Oskar's autism-related traits, lashing out, and distinctive investigative habits organize his interactions with his family and strangers.
Films like Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, and why
The Lovely Bones
shared coming of age drama, bereavement, and emotionally searching child protagonist
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
shared literary adaptation, child-centered grief, and family trauma
Rabbit Hole
shared intimate treatment of catastrophic loss, family rupture, and searching for meaning
Reign Over Me
shared post-traumatic grief, urban setting, and emotionally direct family drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Stephen Daldry
- Release Date
- 2011-12-25
- Runtime
- 129 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (2187)
Cast
- Tom Hanks
- Sandra Bullock
- Thomas Horn
- Viola Davis
- John Goodman
- Jeffrey Wright
- Zoe Caldwell
- Max von Sydow
- Dennis Hearn
- Paul Klementowicz
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close about?
- A grieving New York boy transforms a mysterious key into a citywide search for the meaning of his father’s loss.
- What is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close as mild.
- What did critics think of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?
- Critics agreed that the film addresses worthwhile material with polished craft and strong performances, but many found its treatment of grief and 9/11 overly sentimental and emotionally manipulative.
- Which films are like Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lovely Bones, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Rabbit Hole, and Reign Over Me.
- How long is Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?
- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close runs 129 minutes.
- Where can I watch Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close?
- In United States, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
