EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
Yesterday marked the end of a pretty impressive streak for director Stephen Daldry. Before this, he had directed three films - The Hours, Billy Elliot, and The Reader - and had received a Best Director nomination for every one. 3-for-3. Alas, no nomination for his fourth film (though it did snag a Best Picture nod), based on the stellar novel by Jonathan Safran Foer.
It’s the story of young Oskar Schell, who lost his father in the south tower of the World Trade Center on what he calls “the Worst Day”. A year later, he finds a mysterious key in his father’s closet, itself in an envelope with the word “Black” written on it. And so he goes on a mission to meet all 400+ Blacks in the New York City phone book, to find where this key fits.
I struggle to think of any film that’s truly dealt with 9/11 successfully. United 93 is stunning, but it’s the actual events, not that months-long hangover that the country had afterwards. Oskar Schell’s childlike (possibly Asperger’s-related) focus on this key is a clever way to personalize the shock and grief of that day, and the book was so successful because of the uniqueness of Oskar’s narration. The biggest problem with the film is, I think, the script. Eric Roth’s script is a little too precious at points, as if he was afraid to go all in with Oskar’s occasional abruptness and seeming callousness that can accompany Asperger’s. He jumps around in time, and even gives us scenes that Oskar would not be privvy to, like his mother’s phone conversation with his father at her office. So while Daldry’s direction does find some moments of brilliance - tilt-shifting and plays with focus are an excellent way to visually demonstrate Oskar’s POV - the film itself is disappointing because you can feel how it missed its opportunities. It’s like watching a truly perfect film through dirty glasses; you catch moments of it, and then it misses the chance those moments set up.
This is not to say it’s a bad film. The acting is great (Von Sydow got a Best Supporting nod). A lot is asked of young Thomas Horn, and he doesn’t quite keep it up completely, though his good moments far outnumber his less than. Daldry’s direction is solid. But Roth’s script just feels a bit watered down. I’ve heard people use the word “manipulative” when describing the flaw in the film; I wouldn’t say that, at least not in an intentional, negative way. But it does occasionally tilt towards the tried-and-true easiness of straight-up emotion. When you have a protagonist as unique as Oskar Schell, those cookie-cutter moments seem all the more out of place. A good film, but quite a few missed chances for greatness.
