Close (2022) review – A tender, sensitive, and heartbreaking look at the childhood bond between two teenage boys

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Close supershot 2022
Still from Close

The year 2022 was notable for films that explored the nuanced dynamics of male friendships. Ram and Bheem’s friendship is tested in RRR when they clash against each other to achieve their individual goals. The Banshees of Inisherin showed the breaking of a lifelong friendship between two characters, as one did not want to be friends with the other. Close, directed by Lukas Dhont, is a more tender, sensitive, and heartbreaking look at the childhood bond between two 13-year-old boys.

In a small Belgian town, during summer vacations, two best friends, Leo (Eden Dambrine) and Remi (Gustav de Waele), are inseparable as they share a deep affection for each other. They play games where they fight off an invisible horde of invaders, go biking together, and chase each other through a field of chrysanthemums. Their friendship is so intimate that they don’t mind sharing the same bed, resting their heads on each other’s shoulders, or touching while sitting close together. As they enter high school, a group of female classmates openly ask Leo if they are a couple. The question serves as the catalyst that causes their friendship to fall apart. Leo fiercely denies it and becomes offended as he questions the girls, “Do we hold hands?”, “Do we smooch?” On the other hand, Remi stays silent and makes no comment, either because he does not understand it or because he does not care. Is Leo gay for being in denial and acting aggressively toward the question of being a homosexual, or is Remi gay because he stays silent? The film does not answer these questions since they are irrelevant because these are just a couple of 13-year-old boys.

Leo begins to distance himself from Remi as he becomes self-conscious about their public display of physical closeness. He starts to feel uncomfortable about how other students perceive their relationship, especially when a select handful start shouting homophobic slurs at them. Lukas Dhont handles Leo’s gradual and slow withdrawal from Remi tactfully. For example, in one scene, Leo is relaxing on the grass at school when Remi approaches and lays down next to him, his head on Leo’s stomach. Leo becomes uneasy and turns away from Remi, who continues to come closer to Leo and tries to keep his head on his stomach, but Leo eventually manages to steer him away gently. But, outside the school, they are still best friends as they play with Remi’s parents, enjoy eating spaghetti noodles, and practice playing the oboe. There is a scene in which Remi is playing the oboe at a concert, and Leo is seated in the audience, looking at him with pride and adoration in his eyes as the camera gently pushes in on him. It is a beautiful moment that demonstrates the purity and innocence of their friendship.

Still from Close movie 2022

Unfortunately, the circumstances between the two deteriorate as the film progresses. The more the other students tease them, the further Leo withdraws from Remi. Both can sense the tension rising between them, especially in a scene that begins with a pleasant skirmish in Remi’s bedroom but quickly devolves into a bitter quarrel. After that, Leo stops going to Remi’s place for sleepovers, begins helping his family on the farm, joins ice-staking without Remi, and starts hanging out with a different group of people. When Leo stops bicycling to school and eating lunch with Remi, things worsen as Remi breaks down and violently attacks Leo in front of their peers. The first half of the film concludes with a shocking revelation that will shatter your heart.

This film, more than anything, is about a loss of innocence as young Leo must deal with situations that are way beyond his understanding and maturity. Initially, he struggles to grasp the circumstances he is thrown into and come to terms with his emotions. He also finds difficulty expressing himself to those he wishes to confide in. The film’s climax focuses on how Leo can find closure following an unspeakable tragedy.

Lukas Dhont met Eden Dambrine on a train ride and cast him in the role based on his expressions while talking with his friends on the train. That risk paid off because Eden gives a breakout and nuanced performance, and Dhont captures his facial expressions with excellent closeups and deft camerawork. Close premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022 and won the prestigious Grand Prix award.

Close movie link: IMDB

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