Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - B+

Rated PG-13, 129 minutes

I admit was a little skeptical when seeing the trailers for the new drama "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close." Though fictional, it is a film that has 9/11 as the backdrop, which has the ability to go wrong in so many ways. After seeing it, my fears were allayed; 9/11 is handled well though incredibly emotional and heartbreaking to view. Directed by Stephen Daldry ("The Hours"), based on the best-selling novel of the same name and featuring an A-list cast including Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Max Von Snydow, Viola Davis, John Goodman and newcomer Thomas Horn, it's about a bright young boy named Oskar (Horn) who loses his dad (Hanks) in the Twin Towers on 9/11. Feeling disconnected from the world at large, Oskar uncovers some mysterious messages from his late Dad that help him deal with his grief and move on from the tragedy. Slow moving, quite heavy but superbly acted, particularly by Horn (in his feature film debut) as the distraught boy, along with Hanks and Bullock as his parents, it's both heartfelt and heartbreaking; 9/11 is handled with care but it still may be difficult to watch for some, especially those who lost someone in the tragedy. Take plenty of tissues, especially for the emotionally affecting finale. "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is definitely worth a look and one of the better but overlooked films this awards season.