Seeking out the
5000 greatest films
in a century of cinema
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Directed by
Stephen Daldry
Produced by Scott Rudin
Screenplay by Eric Roth Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer
Produced by Scott Rudin
Screenplay by Eric Roth Based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer
With:
Tom Hanks, Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock, Zoe Caldwell, John Goodman, Max von Sydow, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, and Hazelle Goodman
Cinematography:
Chris Menges
Editing: Claire Simpson
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Editing: Claire Simpson
Music: Alexandre Desplat
Runtime:
129 min
Release Date: 20 January 2012
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
Color: Color
Release Date: 20 January 2012
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
Color: Color
This labored and abrasive post-9/11 pseudo-mystery-cum-autistic-coming-of-age fantasy is this year’s winner for most difficult film to sit thought (and this was the year of Tree of Life!) I can see how this might have worked as a novel, but having to spend film time with this most unlikable kid as he pursues (what is on film anyway) a totally implausible quest is enough to try anyone’s patience. This is the only film I ever wished had been directed by Wes Anderson. The kid feels like a high-maintenance version of one of Anderson’s meticulous misfits and maybe he could have made a movie out of this script that was, at least, visually interesting.