This is not a perfect film. What's truly remarkable is that I had already been submerged by all the negative comments about it before I clicked on the video. If you check this film on Rotten Tomatoes, you'll find an appallingly lower point than those films of its kind. And viewers on RT always seem friendlier. For a film which possesses such an amazing crew and a sound story, how repulsive and unacceptable the audience decided it to be is quite a wonder.
Maybe it is due to the influence of those unpleasant opinions, this film seems, at first, indeed full of flaws. There are too many clues, and they are never summarized properly. The frequent jumps form the present to the past keeps you distant and distracted. Also, it is extremely loud. The boy's scream, anger and accusation make it nearly impossible for the audience to get close with this eccentric little creature, or the story.
But it is when the boy's grandfather appears that the narrative suddenly turns calm, gentle, and even slightly sweet. It is also the time when I was finally aware of the fact that the boy is ill so it is reasonable that his behaviors differ from normal kids. As you begin to see the world from his perspective, you can easily understand his agony, his broken heart for the loss of his dear father, and his delicate kindness and care shown to others through a rather unique way. After the criticism is forgotten, the story gradually unveils its sincerity and variety, the catastrophe, a destructed family, a lost kid all growing clear.
Tom Hanks shines in this film. Although he constantly does a fantastic job in almost all his roles, his performance in this heartfelt movie is still surprising. He plays a wonderful father who died at 9/11. Mr. Schell exists in this film only in his son's memory. Through those fragments, the audience can feel clearly his warmth and wit. He is without doubt the most amazing dad, leaving such a strong and supportive father figure that always lingers and motivates the story. He is also a loving husband , who tragically was deprived of the chance to express his numerous love and care to his beloved family at his last minutes.
If there's a color to represent Mr. Schell in the movie, it is gold, not only for his special way of existence, but for his benign character, the way he treats his son, so equally interact with him yet encouragingly. All this will look further more beautiful if you consider how observant and patient he is to contrive to help his not-so-normal son develop and grow happily, healthily and freely.
It is not a perfect film. What it has, is the outstanding performances delivered by some of the finest actors, a heartbreaking story which reveals part of the cruelty of the tragic event, a sorrowful protagonist who lives the trauma, and after experiencing the worst things, directs people to hope, uplifting human spirits, and a rosy future.
As a person who is truly touched by it, I have only one suggestion for you. That is, you may have to be extremely quiet, and then you'll find that you and the story are actually, incredibly close.
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