Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close.
I can't decide whether this film is emotionally manipulative, on a Death Of Little Nell scale; or merely brilliant in its portrayal of the human response to loss.
I couldn't read the book. The first chapter, in which a little boy listens to the answer phone messages his dad leaves from one of the Towers on 9/11, was so sad that I wouldn't read any more.
There were points in this film where I nearly left, to wait for crusty in the car. Again, it was too much, and too sad, but my mascara was all over my face so I decided to stay put till my face went back to normal. I'm glad I did. I wasn't the only one, there were definitely snivelling sounds coming from the whole auditorium at various points.
This is the story of how a boy, who is probably somewhere on the autism spectrum, tries to make sense of his father's death on 9/11. Sent home early from school, alone in the house, he is the first one to hear his father's voice as he tries to speak to his family, at first to reassure, and finally to say goodbye. Desperately trying to make sense of events, at the same time as avoiding the reality of loss, the boy searches for the lock to match a key in his father's wardrobe.
This goes in the same category as 'The Kite Runner' - brilliant films I'm glad I've seen, but won't watch again, because they're too emotional. Recommended, but not for a first date. I do think that aspects of this story have probably been mawkished for Hollywood, and I'm not completely at ease with anything that turns that awful day into entertainment. However, fiction can bring history to life sometimes and I think this film probably does that, and it's all right this time.
