Geez, can you tell this one is looking for Oscars? The first trailer for “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” has arrived and before we’re even halfway through, we get an infamous image of the Twin Towers on the morning of 9/11 and U2‘s “Where the Streets Have No Name.” Did the person cutting this have no shame?
But here’s the thing: take away the cloying reach for the heartstrings and Stephen Daldry‘s upcoming film actually looks like it could be a very warm and touching portrait of New York City and one boy trying to find meaning as the city and his family try to heal. Based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer, the story focuses on Oskar Schell (newcomer Thomas Horn), a nine-year-old boy from Manhattan whose father died on 9/11. Two years later, the boy discovers a key belonging to his father, which sends him on a search through the city, believing it will lead to a final message from his deceased parent. The cast on this one is first rate with Tom Hanks playing the father of the kid, with Sandra Bullock as his mother and John Goodman, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, Max Von Sydow and James Gandolfini rounding out the cast. If there is anything we’re uncertain about just yet, it’s the youngster Horn, but again, it’s hard to tell if his performance is just thrown out of whack by the syrupy trailer.
So, is this an Oscar contender? You better believe. The last three Daldry films have amassed 17 Oscar nominations, including Best Director each time, with two Best Actress wins. So yeah, if this delivers on even half of its promise, it’s going to be a major horse in the race. “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” lands on Christmas Day. Watch the trailer below or in HD at Apple.
