London Film Festival: Close Review (Somewhat spoilers)
This film does not hold back and goes hard in trying to make one cry and trust me from the people around me it succeded.
Close is a Belgium film directed by Lukas Dhot that follows two boys Léo and Remi with their friendship being somewhat tested. A coming-of-age film as Léo and Remi navigate a difficult time between them which leads to horrible consequences and into another chapter in life. It is a film that is truly hard to describe as there is not much that happens within the 105-minute running time. This is a simple plotline and one that was predictable and was not really original. However, with the direction of Dhont, the film finds success when trying to stand out among the rest. It’s meticulously slow however for me it feels needed to allow time for Dhont to truly explore what he is aiming for with the film.
The biggest stand out was Dhont study on friendship and grief. The slow-burn nature of the film allows time for the audience to become attached to the characters’ bonds thus feeling their every emotion. I was impressed at how the film draws you into the characters within the first 15mins highlighting the script work. One scene stuck in my mind was when Léo and Remis’s brother form a friendship and the harsh symbolism throughout that sometimes grief somehow brings people closer together. While the film also showcases the number of people a death may cause without realising it. It’s this point that makes the slow nature of the film work as it allows time to fully explore these themes and is what makes this film unique to others that could be deemed similar.
When looking at performances it was the debut of Eden Dambrine that stole the show for me. For such a young actor he manages to genuinely bring out the emotions which easily carry into the audience’s somber reactions. His performance carries the film while Gustav De Waele’s performance is truly not overshadowed but is more subtle. Everyone’s performance within the film is exceptional however you could argue there were all very similar and nobody shows variety in their subtle performances.
The other major standouts were the cinematography and the score. The cinematography at times was just gorgeous to look at as it adds to the soft nature of the film. There is a reason the shot of them running is everywhere as it truly captures the nature of the film as this delicate soft film that is devastating but filled with colors and picturesque scenery. The score, on the other hand, was something that is not very prominent but is a tool when used to fully bring the emotions forward on the scene.
When fully looking at the pacing I mentioned before that this allowed time to really explore the themes but due to the predictability and the simple nature of the film there will be moments where you wish the film could be a tad snappier or switch it up a little. This is especially during the second half of the film, where there are some truly key scenes however there were times when it all just became a little similar or when it felt like Dhont was trying to harvest every tear remaining. This is the only real issue that I had with the film but it never got truly slow where I was bored or wanted it to end.
Overall, this film will leave tears in your eyes as you leave the cinema hall feeling down. It’s a gorgeous-looking film that is certainly not to be missed.