---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In truth, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly…"
description: "\"In truth, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” isn't about Sept. 11. It's about the impulse to drain that day of its specificity and turn it into yet an..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/manohla-dargis-26275_baby_in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close_1484137.jpg"
---

#  In truth, “Extremely Loud &amp; Incredibly Close” isn't about…

![“In truth, “Extremely Loud &amp; Incredibly Close” isn't about Sept. 11. It's about the impulse to drain that day of its specificity and turn it into yet another wellspring of generic emotions: sadness, loneliness, happiness. This is how kitsch works. It exploits familiar images, be they puppies or…” quote by Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/manohla-dargis-26275_baby_in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close_1484137.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/manohla-dargis-26275_baby_in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close_1484137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/manohla-dargis-26275_baby_in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close_1484137.jpg)

> “In truth, “Extremely Loud &amp; Incredibly Close” isn't about Sept. 11. It's about the impulse to drain that day of its specificity and turn it into yet another wellspring of generic emotions: sadness, loneliness, happiness. This is how kitsch works. It exploits familiar images, be they puppies or babies - or, as in the case of this movie, the twin towers - and tries to make us feel good, even virtuous, simply about feeling. And, yes, you may cry, but when tears are milked as they are here, the truer response should be rage.”

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The review argues the film turns a specific tragedy into generic sentiment, suggesting emotional manipulation rather than authentic grief.

**In simple terms:** The movie uses kitsch to soften trauma.

Key Takeaway

Seek authentic emotional expression.

Themes

art trauma emotion kitsch

Mood

critical reflective

Type

analytical thought‑provoking

When to use this quote

- cinema
- therapy
- public discourse

Key Concepts

film criticism psychology culture

Questions to Reflect On

- How does kitsch affect our perception of tragedy?
- Can art responsibly address trauma?

A Different Perspective

Over‑sentimentalizing can diminish real pain.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Kitsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitsch/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Puppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puppy/) [Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Sadness Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness-loneliness/) [Specificity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specificity/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Twins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twins/) [Wellspring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wellspring/)

## Related quotes

> [“Extremely loud and incredibly close pdf Free / extremely loud and incredibly close epub Copy Paste link to url browser! ebookstreasurechest.blogspot.fr ebookstreasurechest.blogspot.fr”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/extremely-loud-and-incredibly-close-pdf-free-extremely-loud-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I regret that it takes a life to learn how to live..." - Extremely Loud &amp; Incredibly Close”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-foer/i-regret-that-it-takes-a-life-to-learn-how-to-live-extremely-loud/)

Jonathan Foer

> [My dad and me were incredibly close. He was an actor, and so him and I shared this whole movie-world thing closer than anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-earle-haley/my-dad-and-me-were-incredibly-close-he-was-an-actor-and-so-him-and-i/)

[Jackie Earle Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-earle-haley/)

> [I felt, that night, on that stage, under that skull, incredibly close to everything in the universe, but also extremely alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-felt-that-night-on-that-stage-under-that-skull-incredibly-close-to/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [The first thing I ever auditioned for was a movie called 'Extremely Loud &amp; Incredibly Close.' And, this is kind of a secret, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-hedges/the-first-thing-i-ever-auditioned-for-was-a-movie-called-extremely/)

[Lucas Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-hedges/)

> [Mrs. Loontwill did what any well-prepared mother would do upon finding her unmarried daughter in the arms of a gentleman werewolf: she had very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/mrs-loontwill-did-what-any-well-prepared-mother-would-do-upon-finding/)

[Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/)

> [Playing in Seattle, 'The 12' are extremely loud. At first, I could be on the field, two feet away from you and not hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquill-griffin/playing-in-seattle-the-12-are-extremely-loud-at-first-i-could-be-on/)

[Shaquill Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquill-griffin/)

> [Wherever we go, NXT fans are extremely loud, and it's not like a normal WWE live event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayley/wherever-we-go-nxt-fans-are-extremely-loud-and-it-s-not-like-a-normal/)

[Bayley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayley/)

> [I can be very shy...but when I'm around people I know, I can be extremely loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-lavigne/i-can-be-very-shy-but-when-i-m-around-people-i-know-i-can-be/)

[Avril Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-lavigne/)

> [Rejection, Sadness, Loneliness, Forgotten, Drifting, Loveless, Emptiness, Ignored. Why can all these be linked to me inside 2 minutes? What is life? What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whatever/rejection-sadness-loneliness-forgotten-drifting-loveless-emptiness/)

Whatever

> [Truth is... girls lie as much a boys, boys get hurt as much as girls. At some point we all experience the same thing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truth-is-girls-lie-as-much-a-boys-boys-get-hurt-as-much-as-girls-at/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Sadness and loneliness of your heart can only and only be determined by your tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/sadness-and-loneliness-of-your-heart-can-only-and-only-be-determined/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [“What I felt in each instance was sadness, loneliness (the loneliness of the abandoned child of whatever age), regret for time gone by, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/what-i-felt-in-each-instance-was-sadness-loneliness-the-loneliness-of/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [“I’d do it all over again, knowing that you were going to be there at the end. I’d walk through the sadness and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-lauren/i-d-do-it-all-over-again-knowing-that-you-were-going-to-be-there-at/)

[Kimberly Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-lauren/)

> [“Tragedy, sadness, loneliness and despair taught me that life is really a beautiful thing; if it wasn't I wouldn't be able to recognize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-evans/tragedy-sadness-loneliness-and-despair-taught-me-that-life-is-really/)

[Greg Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-evans/)

## More by Manohla Dargis

> [The movie industry is failing women. And until the industry starts making serious changes, nothing is going to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/the-movie-industry-is-failing-women-and-until-the-industry-starts/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [In scene after scene, meaning sneaks in and sometimes roars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/in-scene-after-scene-meaning-sneaks-in-and-sometimes-roars/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [Ben Stiller isn't funny - honest. Ben Stiller is very funny, and smart, and cute, too, in a neurotic, New York kind of way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/ben-stiller-isn-t-funny-honest-ben-stiller-is-very-funny-and-smart/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [There isn’t anything good to say about Kick-Ass 2, the even more witless, mirthless follow-up to Kick-Ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/there-isn-t-anything-good-to-say-about-kick-ass-2-the-even-more/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [Moment by moment, with a twitch, a shudder, a look, it's Mr. Hardy who movingly draws you in, turning a stranger's face into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/moment-by-moment-with-a-twitch-a-shudder-a-look-it-s-mr-hardy-who/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [In 1963 ... The Vatican condemned Dr. No as a 'dangerous mixture of violence, vulgarity, sadism and sex.' Ka-ching!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/in-1963-the-vatican-condemned-dr-no-as-a-dangerous-mixture-of/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [Dancer, bride, runaway wife, radical filmmaker and pioneer - Shirley Clarke is one of the great undertold stories of American independent cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/dancer-bride-runaway-wife-radical-filmmaker-and-pioneer-shirley/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [The New World is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). There is some intense, bloodless violence and the beautiful underage lead actress (15-year-old Q'orianka Kilcher)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/the-new-world-is-rated-pg-13-parents-strongly-cautioned-there-is-some/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [Created for MTV in 1990, the sharply observed, pop-conscious Ben Stiller Show - featuring its star's lacerating impersonations of Bono, Tom Cruise, and Eddie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/created-for-mtv-in-1990-the-sharply-observed-pop-conscious-ben/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [ The great irony is that women are accused of making romantic comedies, as if it's a bad thing, but \[(500) Days of Summer\] Marc… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/the-great-irony-is-that-women-are-accused-of-making-romantic-comedies/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [An acquired taste, this dense Jabberwocky-ish word salad is a political allegory about a populace that's been pharmaceutically duped into believing its wretched world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/an-acquired-taste-this-dense-jabberwocky-ish-word-salad-is-a/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [American commercial cinema has long been dominated by men, but I don’t think there has ever been another time when women have been as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/american-commercial-cinema-has-long-been-dominated-by-men-but-i-don-t/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [NOTHING SHOULD BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN 'EVERYONE ELSE,' WHICH IS AT ONCE LAID-BACK AND RIGOROUSAbout the world we create when we fall in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/nothing-should-be-taken-for-granted-in-everyone-else-which-is-at-once/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [André Bazin wrote that art emerged from our desire to counter the passage of time and the inevitable decay it brings. But in “Boyhood,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/andr-bazin-wrote-that-art-emerged-from-our-desire-to-counter-the/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

> [Paprika is evidence that Japanese animators are reaching for the moon, while most of their American counterparts remain stuck in the kiddie sandbox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/paprika-is-evidence-that-japanese-animators-are-reaching-for-the-moon/)

[Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

[Explore all 22 Manohla Dargis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/)

## More Baby quotes

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [“I looked down into my baby’s beautiful green eyes and ached inside. She looked up at me with wide-eyed innocence. I kissed her warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-looked-down-into-my-baby-s-beautiful-green-eyes-and-ached-inside/)

[Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/)

> [I've retired my sneakers for stilettos, baby!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivica-a-fox/i-ve-retired-my-sneakers-for-stilettos-baby/)

[Vivica A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivica-a-fox/)

> [I didn't expect to be so comfortable handing my child off to a nanny without getting any of her information. As soon as she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/i-didn-t-expect-to-be-so-comfortable-handing-my-child-off-to-a-nanny/)

[Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/)

> [And I gave you my all, now baby be mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/and-i-gave-you-my-all-now-baby-be-mine/)

[Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [Shhh.” He put a finger to her lips. “Hear me out. I cannot deny that I would've liked to have made babies with you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/shhh-he-put-a-finger-to-her-lips-hear-me-out-i-cannot-deny-that-i/)

[Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/)

> [I'm so happy baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-m-so-happy-baby/)

[Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/)

> [Weezy F. Baby. F. is fo' finisha:)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/weezy-f-baby-f-is-fo-finisha/)

[Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/)

> [Baby, I love you. We argue about the stupidest shit then we turn around and laugh about it. I'm obsessed with you and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay/baby-i-love-you-we-argue-about-the-stupidest-shit-then-we-turn-around/)

Lindsay

> [My dad's Israeli. He was born in Baghdad to Iraqi Jews. Then, at age two, his parents wanted to move to their homeland and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-yamin/my-dad-s-israeli-he-was-born-in-baghdad-to-iraqi-jews-then-at-age-two/)

[Elliott Yamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-yamin/)

> [Michael Jackson has a new baby boy; no word yet who the father is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/michael-jackson-has-a-new-baby-boy-no-word-yet-who-the-father-is/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/i-always-wondered-why-babies-spend-so-much-time-sucking-their-thumbs/)

[Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/)

> [If all fooles had babies, wee should want fuell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/if-all-fooles-had-babies-wee-should-want-fuell/)

[George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/)

> [My baby girl Bella is growing up so fast I remember when she was soo tiny, it shows how much she has been loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal/my-baby-girl-bella-is-growing-up-so-fast-i-remember-when-she-was-soo/)

[Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal/)

[Browse all 5,822 Baby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baby/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In truth, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” isn't about Sept. 11. It's about the impulse to drain that day of its specificity and turn it into yet another wellspring of generic emotions: sadness, loneliness, happiness. This is how kitsch works. It exploits familiar images, be they puppies or babies - or, as in the case of this movie, the twin towers - and tries to make us feel good, even virtuous, simply about feeling. And, yes, you may cry, but when tears are milked as they are here, the truer response should be rage.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Manohla Dargis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close-isn-t-about-sept-11-it-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Baby"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close-isn-t-about-sept-11-it-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/manohla-dargis-26275_baby_in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close_1484137.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/manohla-dargis-26275_baby_in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close_1484137.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/manohla-dargis-26275_baby_in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close_1484137.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In truth, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” isn't about Sept. 11. It's about the impulse to drain that day…” — Manohla Dargis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Manohla Dargis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In truth, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close-isn-t-about-sept-11-it-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/in-truth-extremely-loud-incredibly-close-isn-t-about-sept-11-it-s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
