“Close” Movie Review

 

“Close”

Movie Review

 

Lukas Dhont and Angelo Tijssens co-wrote the coming-of-age drama movie "Close," which stars Eden Dambrine, Gustav de Waele, Emilie Dequenne, and Lea Drucker. The movie's story is as follows: Léo (Eden Dambrine) and Rémi (Gustav De Waele) have an innocent yet personal friendship as they bask in the summer heat in Belgium. Close tells the story of how this innocence is shattered. How can two young boys learning to navigate the world deal with that loss when outside forces enter a relationship they have no place in, changing it forever? The solution is both heartbreaking and uplifting, as Close paints a breathtaking picture of the friendship's intimacy and the pain of losing it before and after, all with Dambrine's outstanding performance at its core.

The 13-year-old boys Leo and Remi form a close bond in an unnamed rural place. They also physically demonstrate their affection in a way that is rare for guys, but it doesn't have any obvious erotic or even sexual overtones. They frequently go for walks together, share secrets, and sleep next to one another in the same bed. Rémi is the sole child of Sophie, who accepts this without condemnation and adores Léo as a second son. 

The two boys are placed in a new school after a happy summer spent together as usual, where their exceptionally tight connection generates a commotion. Finally, some coworkers directly inquire about if the two are dating. Rémi stays silent as Léo vehemently disputes it. When Leo notices this external impression, he becomes quite uncomfortable. He now seemingly separates himself from Rémi, makes new acquaintances, and starts playing ice hockey, all while purposefully excluding Rémi from these activities in order to avoid being labeled as gay. Leo ultimately decides against being close to his friend, even when they are alone.

When Rémi feels slighted, he begins to become unstable, especially since Léo refuses to engage in any discourse about their breakup, despite Rémi's attempts at conversation. Although Léo still likes Rémi, he wants to end their "too close" connection without trying to find a solution that is agreeable for both of them. Neither asks for support from those they can trust. A sometimes-violent argument results from this conflict, to which Rémi eventually responds by completely withdrawing: He separates himself from Sophie, loses interest in food, locks himself in his room, and, following a school trip in which Rémi did not take part, the class is informed that Rémi has committed suicide.

Leo quickly realizes that his withdrawal is what led to this, but he is unable to discuss it with anybody during the psychological follow-up the school is providing. Léo's rebellious opposition is sparked by the fact that his coworkers' descriptions of Rémi in obituaries are that he was a joyful and amiable youngster. He makes vain attempts to bury, escape from, or hide his inner suffering in the hockey team and his parents' landscaping company. Realizing that he cannot recreate the connection he once shared with other people, he forms a tentative acquaintance with students. Leo knows instinctively that he needs to speak with Sophie, but for fear of Sophie's reaction, he won't tell her what happened. Sophie still doesn't know why Rémi died because he didn't leave a suicide note or any other hints, either.

Leo didn't summon the nerve to drop by Sophie's employment unannouncedly until the start of the following summer break. He declares that it's all his fault and that he ignored Rémi and left him as she drives him home. Suddenly losing her composure, Sophie motions for him to go. Leo, in a state of desperation, flees into the woods. When she pursues him, she finds him holding a club and looking terrified; he anticipates that she would be furious with him for Rémi's death. But to his astonishment, Sophie gives him a loving and consoling hug. His stress is finally let out as the two sob together without Sophie placing blame on him.

Leo tries to visit Sophie again later but discovers the house is empty and notes that the pair has left. Leo is in the final stages of grieving as he crosses the field where Rémi raced. He glances back with an accepting expression.

In contrast to dialogue-heavy scenes, director Dhont chooses to tell his story through closely observed moments. This decision gives the movie a more intense sense of intimacy that complements Léo and Rémi's connection, which is left unclear throughout the movie. The movie becomes a much more devastating analysis of male friendship and how the world prevents guys from loving each other as a result of its decision to be close-lipped about the sexual orientation of its two young characters. It's terrible that they weren't given the chance to consider if Léo and Rémi's fondness for one another goes beyond anything platonic because of the outer factors that intrude into the boys' idyllic existence.

What matters is how this relationship affects Léo and Rémi, and De Waele and Dambrine express an emotional complexity that is simply breathtaking to watch. Dambrine has a lot more work to do, especially in the second half of the movie, but he does it with a resoluteness that makes it much more tragic when the cracks do start to appear. The movie is filled with grief, and watching Léo gradually come to terms with what he has lost is heartbreaking, especially when it's contrasted with Émilie Dequenne's raw nerve as Sophie, Rémi's mother. Léa Drucker, who plays Léo's mother Nathalie in the movie, serves as the movie's anchor even though she must watch helplessly as her youngest son must cope with immense grief.

Ultimately, the trip Léo is left with after the final, irrevocable image is what makes Close so heartbreaking. Dhont avoids a blatant conclusion in favor of a more subdued one that emphasizes the idea that Léo is one of the lucky ones in the face of irreparable loss. He will be able to progress and heal in certain ways. Rémi won't have that opportunity. Even if it might be fair in some ways, Dhont chooses forgiveness over hatred or bitterness.

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