Usually I don't like stories told from a child's point of view, as I find them annoying. Close-kint is a notable exception. The story is fairly simple: a 11-year-old's mother disappears, so she goes to live with her uncle and his transgender girlfriend. And so a whirlwind of emotions begins.
The main characters in the movie are all lovable. Tomo is confused with her new living situation and particularly with Rinko's trans identity, but she is willing to learn. Rinko herself is kind and welcoming. Rinko's boyfriend and Tomo's uncle Makio is a loving partner and a caring foster parent. The family they create for themselves is a heartwarming picture.
But of course the movie also shows the other side of not conforming to the standards of the society. I can't claim to know much about Japanese society, but I think a person like Rinko would face a discrimination almost anywhere in the world, and it is important to show this kind of prejudice and violence.
The pacing of the movie is a great respite form all of the fast-paced blockbusters. The movie takes its time in order to show all of the emotions experienced by the characters. This allows the viewers to connect with them on a deeper level.
Yet another strong suit of the movie is the acting. I've only seen a few Japanese movies, so I don't know the actors, but they all create memorable and believable characters. Rin Kakihara is great as 11 years old Tomo and even though I usually don't care for child characters, she won my heart. Another wonderful performance is Tôma Ikuta as Rinko, who despite being a cisgender male plays a completely believable transgender female with all of her vices and virtues.
There is a number of really good transgender-related movies, but they usually end with someone's death or some other tragedy. There is also a number of uplifting transgender-related movies, but they are usually not very good in terms of the story they tell. Close-kint is both. It is a really good piece of filmmaking and it is quite uplifting. Even though the ending isn't very happy, it isn't tragic either and I was left with a fuzzy warm feeling after watching the movie.
