Close

A24 | Release Date: January 27, 2023

7.9	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Ratings

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soberlordJan 29, 2023

No, that's not what the film is about. I myself thought Lukas Dhont would veer into this theme (and I wouldn't have been upset by it), given his previous work, his desire to explore self-identity, and the poster and title, but it turned outNo, that's not what the film is about. I myself thought Lukas Dhont would veer into this theme (and I wouldn't have been upset by it), given his previous work, his desire to explore self-identity, and the poster and title, but it turned out otherwise, though still in the direction of self reflection. It is a beautiful film about the value of friendship, the importance of understanding and showing your emotions, about betrayal and pain, which you will definitely feel while watching it.
A beautiful, very tactile, sensual and sincerely lived experience with a keenly relevant message.
The West still raises in movies the problem of prejudice against boys, how they "should" behave, what to love, how to be friends and (not) express feelings. Imagine what happens in other countries, where the social culture is more closed and much more categorical in its judgments?

I, unfortunately, know it firsthand: to be different = to be a target, and not only for others, but also for yourself. At best, you will spend your whole life cleaning up childhood traumas. At worst... Check out "Close."… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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bertobellamyMar 7, 2023

If 'The Banshess of Inisherin' showed us how a friendship between two men breaks down due to an internal conflict, 'Close' brings us closer to the fallout when pressures come from outside. Writer/director Lukas Dhont shows how a littleIf 'The Banshess of Inisherin' showed us how a friendship between two men breaks down due to an internal conflict, 'Close' brings us closer to the fallout when pressures come from outside. Writer/director Lukas Dhont shows how a little "accepted" kind of masculinity plunges two adolescents barely developing their identity into an existential predicament. Guiding magnificent young performances (and displaying a visual style reminiscent of the Dardenne brothers), Dhont immerses us into an environment full of affection and honesty but also of unfulfilled social expectations, especially in one as complex as the adolescent one. And that is only the first part because, in the second, we witness the devasting process of internalizing guilt. 'Close' is a tragic yet beautiful exploration of friendship, grief, and, most important, the importance of showing our feelings.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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moviemitch96Feb 17, 2023

A film that I wanted to like more than I did. While its intentions are noble and its heart in the right place, it at its core is an emotionally forced and formulaic story and comes off as mawkish at best with its story and themes, despiteA film that I wanted to like more than I did. While its intentions are noble and its heart in the right place, it at its core is an emotionally forced and formulaic story and comes off as mawkish at best with its story and themes, despite highly impressive performances from newcomers Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele. Overall, tender acting performances from all involved and some admittedly lush cinematography can't quite make up for all the forced sentiment. It simply feels like stuff I've seen time and again in other similarly-themed films.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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JLuis_001Apr 28, 2023

A cruel example of how society in the worst of its ignorance can corrupt and taint something as pure and innocent as a friendship just because apparently showing such a deep bond with another person, and in this terrible case a person of theA cruel example of how society in the worst of its ignorance can corrupt and taint something as pure and innocent as a friendship just because apparently showing such a deep bond with another person, and in this terrible case a person of the same sex, makes you an object of ridicule, destroying lives along the way.

The terrible event that occurs in the middle of the movie is crucial to its functioning, though Close's problems are that its emotional poignancy relies on a relationship that is too embellished to feel real.

The rift seems sincere, but it struggles for the feelings to become truly authentic. It may even lack some subtlety, but in the end, that doesn't diminish the appeal of its message, and that, ultimately, is what gives it more resonance outside of what it doesn't manage to do better.

Close is not a perfect film, but I really liked it because it's a drama that performs with more than sufficient solvency.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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SlowEddieJan 30, 2023

Fun, gritty indie revenge/war flick. Great acting and some really fun scenes. Also injects a good dose of comedy to balance out the dark dramatic scenes. Never heard of this director or some of the actors but I’d like to see what they do inFun, gritty indie revenge/war flick. Great acting and some really fun scenes. Also injects a good dose of comedy to balance out the dark dramatic scenes. Never heard of this director or some of the actors but I’d like to see what they do in future projects. I like to see directors who excel in storytelling on a low budget.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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TVJerryJun 23, 2023

Two 13-year-old boys are best, best friends; smiling, affectionate and completely comfortable with each other. When **** is bandied about at school, their relationship becomes strained. And worse. This is some interaction among family membersTwo 13-year-old boys are best, best friends; smiling, affectionate and completely comfortable with each other. When **** is bandied about at school, their relationship becomes strained. And worse. This is some interaction among family members and friends, but the major focus is the 2 young actors (Eden Dambrine, Gustav De Waele), who beautifully capture the joy and pain that this drama requires. It's sensitively directed by Lukas Dhont, who based the story on his own experience at school. This is a sweet, touching look at guilt, prejudice and affection. Interestingly, it's never determined whether either or both of them was gay. (In French with subtitiles)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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alejandro970Sep 10, 2023

A drama that in other hands would have been just another one of the bunch, becomes one that the viewer feels involved and absorbed in, thanks to the magnetism of its characters and because it avoids the typical and worn-out clichés. YouA drama that in other hands would have been just another one of the bunch, becomes one that the viewer feels involved and absorbed in, thanks to the magnetism of its characters and because it avoids the typical and worn-out clichés. You couldn't ask for more.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Mauro_LanariMar 11, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (Mauro Lanari)
If the identity problem led to suicide, from the most famous of the Delphic mottos onwards there would have been a massacre, the same for affective disappointments of any kind. Here the fragility that should have been plumbed is that not of Léo but of Rémi, of whom instead the director deigns to let us know that he plays the oboe as a soloist at a concert. With such an overturned script, there is no stylistic form that can hold up.
Ps: the funeral oration about the 4 seasons is gruesome. In spring, the old leaves are not reborn. They die and are replaced by new ones.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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DaivyJun 4, 2023

Grâce à sa formidable maîtrise des silences et des regards, la beauté de ses cadrages et la lumière de ses jeunes interprètes novices, Eden Dambrine et Gustav de Waele, Close est d'abord et avant tout un immense mélodrame qui sert le cœur etGrâce à sa formidable maîtrise des silences et des regards, la beauté de ses cadrages et la lumière de ses jeunes interprètes novices, Eden Dambrine et Gustav de Waele, Close est d'abord et avant tout un immense mélodrame qui sert le cœur et fait rejaillir, par petites touches, ces instants cruciaux qui ont façonné l’existence de chacun d’entre nous. Juste magique… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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