Cerca de ti

Wow, talk about lookin' shredded like a Julienne Salad! Elliot Page has been puttin' in some work. Okay, so the movie isn't the greatest, but it certainly deserves a much higher rating than a 4.6. It's an independent film with some good performances with lots of improvised dialogue-and has won a few well deserved awards. On Rotten Tomatoes, 65% of 55 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10 where it should be. The website's consensus reads: "A passion project for Elliot Page that benefits from his naturalism." So, what's with all the low ratings? Give it a shot, it gets better as it progresses.

It's a trans child negotiating his family relationship drama set over several days in present-day Toronto and Cobourg, Ontario, Canada. Sam (Elliot Page) is a trans male who transitioned from female, probably in his early 20s. He lives and works in Toronto and rooms in a house owned by Emily (Sook-Yin Lee). Sam has not seen his family for five years. Still, he has decided to go home to Cobourg, 95 kilometers east of Toronto along Lake Ontario, to help celebrate his father Jim's (Peter Outerbridge) birthday with the rest of the family.

The movie follows Sam's train ride to Cobourg, on which he meets his old high school flame, Katherine (Hillary Baack), who is now married with children in Cobourg. Two parallel stories unfold, one follows Sam's encounters with his family, including his mother (Wendy Crewson), two sisters (Janet Porter and Alex Paxton-Beesley), brother, Michael (Daniel Maslany), and the two sisters' partners (Andrew Bushell and David Reale). The second follows Sam's efforts to reconnect with Katherine.

"Close to You" is dark and filled with uncomfortable conversations. Sam's relationships with different family members vary and end in crisis. The yearning for understanding and acceptance amidst discomfort is powerfully portrayed. Sam's relationship with Katherine is also complex and is not as well explored, partly because she is deaf. That story leaves many unanswered questions. The film's cinematography is intimate and doesn't always work, sometimes feeling like it drags. Elliot Page is outstanding. My ears had trouble understanding Hillary Baack at times. The various Cobourg family members' characterizations are well-done and varied.

"Close to You" gets an extra point for an insightful portrayal of a challenging subject.

Elliot Page plays the character of Sam, a person who has undergone a personal journey to discover his true gender identity. Page is in fine form here, perhaps the best I've seen him in his career, in a role that feels lived in and drawn from real experience.

There are two separate stories running concurrently throughout Close To You. One concerns a family gathering Sam has some hesitation to attend, the other concerns a chance meeting he encounters on his travels with an old flame. The former situation delivers much of the film's finest moments including Sam's attempts to re-connect with members of his immediate family, with the most memorable interactions are between him and his parents. Of course, no family gathering would be complete without at least one antagonizing in-law, and ultimately Sam must confront this individual's passive-aggressive and overt transphobia head on.

I hesitate to call the re-connection with his old flame a sub-plot, it actually takes up at least as much screen time as the family drama. There's just less to grab onto here to make it nearly as compelling. Their relationship could have benefited from more backstory to give the audience a better understanding of their history together (was their younger romance secretive, for example?). As it is this portion is quite bland, nothing to lift it from anything more than a conventional romance.

While it has flashes of genuine and heartfelt emotion Close To You ends up not as impactful as it perhaps hoped to be. The script feels meandering in many spots and I'm not surprised to discover the dialogue was mostly improvised. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sam's is an important story to tell, but I can only marginally recommend this film at best.

I really wanted to like Close to You, especially given the talent involved, including Elliot Page, but unfortunately, the film left me feeling underwhelmed. While it has some strong individual elements, they never quite come together to form a compelling, cohesive narrative.

The cinematography is beautiful, and the camera work captures the intimate moments well. The music also stands out-calming, evocative, and a perfect complement to the film's quieter, introspective moments. It's clear the filmmakers put a lot of effort into the aesthetics and atmosphere, and I appreciated that.

As for the performances, Elliot Page delivers a solid portrayal of their character, and many of the actors did their best with the material. The characters themselves are generally likable, but I never felt fully invested in their arcs. The writing, unfortunately, feels lackluster. The dialogue doesn't engage the audience or create the emotional depth needed to elevate the story. It's not that the film is overly slow, but it lacks a strong narrative drive. I can appreciate a slower-paced movie, but the plot here is sparse, and the film doesn't provide enough stakes or development to keep things interesting.

The movie revolves around the protagonist returning home, reconnecting with family, and re-engaging with an old girlfriend. But the family dynamic-while realistic-feels disjointed and drawn-out. For a good portion of the film, we watch the protagonist's family argue and struggle with unresolved issues, and I couldn't help but feel that these sequences dragged on unnecessarily. The family drama is there for a reason, but I found myself wishing the film had focused more on the central relationship, especially the connection with the old girlfriend. I would have preferred a more focused plot, where the protagonist attends some kind of reunion or gathering that leads to rekindling a romance. The family conflict could have been trimmed down or explored in a more meaningful way.

I understand that this film touches on themes of identity, acceptance, and the complexities of family dynamics, particularly around transgender issues. However, I feel the movie relies too heavily on the tension of the protagonist's identity and the discomfort it causes among family members. We've seen these types of conflicts before, and while they are important and real, they can feel repetitive if not handled in an innovative or engaging way. At some point, I wanted to see more of the protagonist's life beyond the familial drama-more exploration of love, relationships, and self-discovery, without always focusing on the external conflict of transphobia or familial rejection. It's a vital part of the narrative, but I think we need to move beyond these plot points and engage with the characters as complex, multifaceted individuals, not just as symbols of societal issues.

In the end, Close to You feels like it's stuck between wanting to be a deeply personal story about love and identity, and a more conventional family drama. But it doesn't fully commit to either. The movie lacks the narrative depth and emotional resonance needed to make it truly impactful. It's a shame because the potential was there-the performances, the direction, and the music all had promise-but the script and structure fail to tie everything together in a way that feels satisfying.

Ultimately, I think this film missed an opportunity to create something truly special. If it had focused more on the relationship dynamics and less on the drawn-out family conflict, it could have been a much stronger, more engaging story. As it stands, Close to You feels like a missed chance to tell a richer, more engaging narrative about love, identity, and human connection.

I remember going home to tell my family that I was transitioning. You know what, the conversations were not polished, as some reviewers point out, as if its a negative. It was a very real family figuring out how to move forward. It is hard to watch at times but I can also tell you it is hard to live at times. My siblings and their significant others all dealt with my news in different ways. They dealt with it differently than the characters in this film. The moments of joy also mirror my experience. They are the same but different. I recomend this movie to anyone who loves someone who makes a change to be themselves. If you don't love someone, maybe you should watch it anyway. It could be a helpful way to begin learning how to love someone.