CLOSE - Review | Cannes Film Festival 2022

Lukas Dhont's latest film is a raw and genuine portrayal of how social pressure can damage an individual and his loved ones. Featuring lavishing camerawork and astonishing performances that make it difficult to breathe as we slowly witness characters coming to terms with how their actions caused a tragedy. Despite some of the film's sappiness while being very comparable to other grieving dramas that restrains it from being distinct. Its ability to emotionally move the viewer with its subtlety is enough to recommend Dhont's powerful drama.

Still Courtesy – Diaphana Films

In Belgium, Léo (portrayed by Eden Dambrine) and Remi (portrayed by Gustav De Waele) are two thirteen-year-old boys with a very close friendship. It gets to the point where some of their classmates believe that they're lovers which Léo denies. But after a major action is committed, drama unfolds as Léo and Remi's mother (portrayed by Émilie Dequenne) contemplate the reasoning as to why that ended up occurring.

The marketing for the film will most likely reveal what occurs, but it's best to just watch the film without that expectation in mind. Frankly, the description for Close makes it sound like plenty of other dramas following characters that just deal with grief from a situation. In a way, this film follows a similar trajectory which doesn't make it bad by any means. But it prevents it from being a work of art that's truly resonating for feeling very similar to other films that deal with the same subject matter. After the major action is revealed which is a complete turning point for the story. The rest of the film plays out by having the characters sorrow for what occurred. As a result, the film ends up being longer than it needs to be due to many scenes feeling like they're getting the same point or purpose across. It doesn't help that its last shot ends up being the most cliched way to end this kind of a film which makes it hard to take seriously.

Despite its familiarity taking away from the experience, there's no denying how much talent is showcased in this film based on how much emotional weight it carries. This isn't the first time that Dhont has explored LGBTQ+ themes in his films. His directorial debut being Girl (2018) which follows a boy with gender dysphoria that joins a ballet group. So once again, Dhont portrays a very raw and believable look at the repercussions for how the world responds to someone with identity crisis while losing their innocence.

But with Close, it features some of the most impressive performances in years where a large majority of them are from child and teenage actors. Eden Dambrine and Émilie Dequenne especially are the absolute standouts for how much emotion they display on screen. As the film progresses and we witness these characters coming to terms with what occurred. Their reactions and expressions subtly shift to showcasing more emotion and it truly feels like an earned natural progression. The flawless actors are what easily stand out the most from the film and it wouldn't be as effective without them. On top of that, the story takes its time to witness their dynamic which creates a stronger connection for the viewer to the film.

Based on the protagonists being children along with the melancholic and current themes that it explores in a grounded setting. The film really does feel like the Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne film that they never made. Ironically, both of them and Dhont are Belgian which make the comparisons even more inevitable. Still, Dhont continues to show his talent for expertly directing younger actors while bringing depth when tackling these subject matters without restraining them. It may not provide a one-of-a-kind experience, but it certainly shows potential for a skilled young filmmaker like him to make something more unique.

Verdict

7/10

Still Courtesy – Diaphana Films