This is a movie about a nine-year old boy, Oscar (Thomas Horn) who lost his beloved father, Thomas (Tom Hanks) in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001 and his journey to come to terms with his father’s death, overcoming his heart-wrenching sorrow. Though some movies about 9/11 celebrate the courage of the police and the firefighters involved in the rescue operation, or the passengers who confronted the hijackers on the United Airlines flight, this movie is different in that the story is narrated through the eyes of the boy and depicts the trauma, pains and family relations involving the tragedy.

Oscar, the protagonist of the story, finds a key in a small envelope inside a vase while looking through his father’s closet after his father dies in the terrorist attack. He notices the name, “Black” printed outside the envelope. Overpowered by curiosity, he sets out on a mission to visit every person named “Black” in New York City, desperately hoping to find a message from his deceased father involving the key. In the process, he meets a new tenant at his grandmother’s apartment, who later turns out to be Oscar’s long-lost grandfather. His reclusive grandfather, deprived of his power of speech due to the fire-bombings during the war in Germany, accompanies Oscar in his quest to unravel the mystery about the key. His grandfather, though limited in his means of communication, understands Oscar’s deep sorrow and stands by him in his adventure across noisy New York City, which in turn develops into a spirit of camaraderie between them. The end of the journey brings Oscar not only to confront the moment of his father’s death and his fear of embracing it, but also to realize his mother’s deep unconditional love towards him.

Oscar, devastated by the sudden death of his father, needed to set out on his journey, clinging to a tiny hope which might connect him to his father even after his death. His adventure across New York City captivates the audience and draws us into his inner journey to come face to face with his trauma and embrace his father’s death, as well as rekindle the bond with his mother. When we learn a painful secret he kept to himself, we can not help but feel deep compassion for this young boy struggling to find a way to continue with his life. This movie addresses not only what we will do when we lose our loved ones, but also the importance of ties that bind families and communities as well: a movie sure to touch your heart.