Extremely loud And Incredibly Close

Extremely well acted, and incredibly poignant. I was at first reluctant to watch this movie, because I didn't want to relive the events of 9/11 or didn't feel that any writers, producers, actors could actually do this tragic event justice. But this film turned out to be pleasantly entertaining and thought-provoking at the same time. The story of 9/11 is told through the eyes and experiences of a young boy with Asperger's syndrome – similar to autism. He is bright, precocious, but has difficulty with social interaction, loud noises, crowded places, and other such situations. The young boy who plays this part does an excellent job! Tom Hanks, the father, of course, is always fantastic. Sandra Bullock plays the mother – also an excellent performance. The premise of the story is that the young boy has to find out the purpose of a "key" that his father left for him – exploring was always a favorite pastime for the two of them together. But, then the film is much more than just trying to solve a riddle left by the boy's father. It's a story of a family, a horrific tragedy, the importance of people in our lives. I highly recommend this film. If you haven't seen it, it's worth a rental.