Since the early days of Hollywood, directors have been adapting books to fit the big screen. Timeless classics such as "Dracula," "Frankenstein," "Harry Potter," and – I hate to say it – "Twilight" have hit it big time among moviegoers.
The latest book to step into this realm is Jonathan Safran Foer's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."
The book is centered on a 9-year-old boy, Oskar, who loses his father during the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Oskar, a boy way beyond his years, gives voice to the victim we don't normally expect when we think of the events of that day.
When Oskar comes across a key in his father's closet, he sets out on a journey to find what exactly the key might open. As he scours New York City, making friends with a 103 year-old man, he comes across people who – like him – fight off grief every day. In the end, he finds those who are closest to him are those who grieve the most.
The story is about what it's like to be a human in a world full of both happiness and grief, shine's light on the perspective of the boy trying to find his place in the world. It also puts emphasis on the power of words and each person telling his or her individual story.
Throughout the book, the lives of so many people are described through the writings of those around Oskar. Whether it be through letters or memoirs, stories of both joy and sorrow are told and the timeless struggle of living with both. Oskar, in the end, finds out that his own grandmother has had to live with the loss of her own family since the 1945 bombing of Dresden, Germany.
"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" brings a personal aspect to tragedies that everyone can relate to.
The movie, starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock as Oskar's parents and newcomer Thomas Horn as Oskar, comes out in theaters today.
The film, which seems to have caught the attention of A-list actors, is sure to be one that will keep the audience enraptured and leave them in tears.
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