Extremely Annoying, Incredibly Unwatchable

Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, is from what I have heard, a good read. I regret that I haven’t read it, after almost walking out on Stephen Daldry’s film of the same name. There could not be a more annoying child actor than Thomas Horn, who plays Oscar (no pun intended)  amid a star-studded cast. His over-the-top, screeching hysterics detracts from the tragic story of a father and husband killled in New York on 9/11. I’m certain I would’ve appreciated this story more in book form. Oscar’s father (Tom Hanks) was an informed science nerd who went into the family business, becoming a jeweler. All of his eccentricites rubbed off on the boy. The grieving son went on a quest and once he solved his puzz;le, it was only then that his mother (Sandra Bullock) was able to open up and display any tenderness towards him. She was hurting as well (her husband was a very loving and lovable  man), but the film was not her story. It was precocious Oscar in every frame, filmed on the streets of all five New York City boroughs. Even with the support of his grandparents, there was still  something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on. Let’s all read the book and please let me know what you think.