Extremely Sweet & Incredibly Heartwarming

Starring: Thomas Horn, Max Von Sydow, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Viola Davis, John Goodman, Jeffrey Wright

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"Oh, I think a lot of things are odd. People tell me I'm very odd all the time." - Oskar Schell

Why watch this? 9/11. This film looks at a single life taken that day, and the massive toll it extracts.

Plot Summary: After losing his father in the September 11th attacks, nine-year-old Oskar Schell discovers a mysterious key among his father's belongings. Believing it holds a final message from his dad, Oskar embarks on a secret quest across New York City to find the lock that matches the key. As he navigates the city, he encounters a diverse group of people, each with their own stories of loss and connection, ultimately learning to cope with his grief and finding solace in human connection.

Dad's Preview: This film is about Oskar. He is justifiably devastated and angry. The clue left by his Dad will to help him go outside again, explore and meet new people... and heal. The performance by Thomas Horn is very good, and I really enjoyed veteran actor Max Von Sydow as the muted renter. This powerful movie is painful and heart-wrenching as Oskar struggles to finds ways to move forward. For all the film's anguish, the journey shows that there might be a way to joy, too.

Scott Rudin Productions; Warner Bros. Pictures