Close
Director(s) - Lukas Dhont
Runtime - 1 h 45 min
Awards
Cannes (2022) - Grand Prize
Hamburg Film Festival (2022) - Arthouse Cinema Award
Bodil (2024) - Best Non-English Language Film
Studio(s) - A24
Release date - November 2022
(bad) Synopsis
So yeah, homophobia kills friendships too. I can’t even make a joke.
Notes/Opinion
Yeah, so this one was really depressing.
I didn’t really hate it (or even dislike it), I’m gonna talk about that in a moment, but Close is definitely… a taxing movie to watch, emotionally.
I’m not really the kind person to cry while watching a film, and this one brought me really, really close several times.
Of course, a movie hitting you right on the feelings is not a bad thing. On the contrary - when it comes to art, that’s rather the point, isn’t it? I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t recommend watching Close unless you’re mentally, emotionally prepared.
To be honest, I didn’t anticipate just how hard it would hit me, and I swear I spent the whole time with this weight on me.
Anyway, since the film is a bit more on the “artistic”, independent side, I guess I should start by going over the plot, because you’re less likely to know it.
That means spoilers, by the way! Consider this your warning.
Basically, Léo and Rémi are two good friends who’ve known each other pretty much their whole lives. They spend a lot of time together, they feel very comfortable around each other, they’re physically affectionate, and so on. As they grow into adolescence, though, the two of them face a lot of scrutiny and even harassment over the nature of their relationship.
For example, Léo puts his head on Rémi’s shoulder, and later one of their classmates asks them, perhaps with genuine curiosity, if they are together. You know, as a couple. Other classmates are significantly crueler, calling them homophobic slurs and other gross things.
Since both characters have the level of emotional maturity you can expect from a 13-year-old boy, they don’t really know how to deal with this, what to make of it.
Léo’s first instinct is to push Rémi away, kinda distance himself from him. Eventually, that starts affecting their interactions in private, outside of school.
Rémi, being a rather sensitive kid (but not knowing how to deal with his feelings), grows increasingly frustrated over Léo’s avoidance. This grief, really, over “losing” his friend, pushes him to commit suicide.
Or well, at least that’s how I interpreted it.
So yeah, even from the Cliffnotes, you can see how Close could be a lot to take in without previous warning.
The movie itself is beautifully made, production-wise. I loved how the visual/audio choices support the story being told. The sound design and the crisp, detailed photography really help convey the emotional intimacy between Léo and Rémi, as well as other characters.
I mean, if you wanna cry and be sad and even pissed, go ahead. Watch it.
Sources: Google, IMDB, Wikipedia
Have you watched Close already? Do you like sad, indie films? Please let me know in the comments!