extremely loud and bothersome

I am now in the mode of wanting to complete my viewing of movies that I have missed that are up for Oscars. Today it was the movie, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close". This movie could also be titled "extremely long and incredibly hard".

I have heard people say that it is not a downer movie, that it isn't just about 9-11, and that it somehow is like "Pay It Forward". I say wrong, wrong, wrong.

The critics don't like this movie for the most part because of the subject (It is TOO soon). The kid that plays the main character is not likable even when you realize that he has emotional, medical, or mental problems. He is extremely loud and I can say that I did not like this movie until he meets a guy (possibly his Grandfather) who cannot speak. Max Von Sydon saves the film. He gave it heart. Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock (the parents) are good in their supporting roles, but I had to get past the kid.

In the end I did, but it wasn't easy. The theater tested me. When they were late starting, I went to the lobby to tell them to start. Then I had to return and tell them to make the sound coherent. And last we weathered two power outages as the movie was starting to answer story questions.

There are not many stories about 9-11 that will ever be easy. I won't read or see many of these stories. I would have been better off to leave this be. I like drama. I like realism. I do not like to be stabbed.

I survived. Whether you should see it is up to you (either in the theater or rental). It did not engage me like it should have and I give it **1/2 stars.

2012 Movie #4