Close to Leo

It is projected that between 2000 and 2020, 68 million people will die prematurely as a result of AIDS. The projected toll is greatest in sub-Saharan Africa where 55 million additional deaths can be expected. Beyond the grim statistics are personal stories that we rarely hear about. Christophe Honoré describes one of the most moving in Close to Leo, a film produced for French television as part of a series dealing with issues facing young people. Though fictional, it deals with a situation that is unfortunately too common -- the effect of a diagnosis of HIV on a loving close-knit family.

When twenty one-year old Leo (Pierre Mignard) tells his parents and two teenage brothers, Tristan (Rodolphe Pauley) and Pierrot (Jeremie Lippmann) that he has AIDS, the family is devastated. Out of concern for his youth, they decide to withhold the information from his youngest brother, 12-year old Marcel (Yannis Lespert) but he overhears the conversation and begins to sulk and act erratically. When Leo goes to Paris for treatment, he takes Marcel with him but the young boy confronts Leo and demands to know the truth. Leo tells him that he is ill and Marcel is sad but accepting. When he brings Marcel along to meet some former gay friends, however, tension between them boils to the surface, setting the stage for a riveting conclusion.

Although I was uncomfortable with scenes in bed involving physical contact between the brothers, I feel that the sincerity of Close to Leo and the brilliant performances by Lespert and Mignard more than tip the scales in its favor. Seeing events unfold from the young boy's perspective gives the film an authenticity that reminded me of the Quebecois film Leolo and Truffaut's The 400 Blows. Unlike some American films that dance around the anguish of AIDS, Close to Leo tells a harsh truth but does so in a way that is tender and wonderfully real.

A film about family relations. Simple, honest, touching, direct. Four brothers. A secret changing everything. And a connection who preserves the normality. A profound beautiful film, a profound convincing story. For the manner to use a not ordinary subject in precise and delicate manner. For portrait of Leo and Marcel. For beach, Paris and the talks defining the borders of a relation and nuances of an age. Not different by many other French films about same subject, it is a seductive, bitter film about life. In the inspired manner.

So very touching in it's simplicity. A 20 yr old taking his 12 yr. brother to an adventure that will never ever be repeated. Great actors, a great performance, and Marcel is the brother that would have. Not very movies reduce me to tears, but this was one.

This film is about Leo. The oldest of four brothers who returns home to inform his family that he has aids.

His family is keen to keep this information from his youngest brother (who is 12). Naturally, his young brother hears this conversation and the film mostly follows his brother as he processes and deals with this information.

I found the reactions of most of the characters quite realistic and believable. From Marcel being angry about his family trying to keep everything, to various family members having emotional outbursts.

All in all the film handles its subject matter with a lot more maturity than most films about this subject that are made in places like America or England... particularly given when this film was made.

My main criticism is that it does come to a rather sudden end. Don't get me wrong... the end is conclusive. But it just felt to me like there was more story to be told. In-between the events of most of the film and the rather abrupt conclusion.

This movie was for a while in my collection, but it wasn't before a friend of mine reminded me about it – until I decided that I should watch it. I did not know much about Close to Leo – just that it was supposed to be excellent coming out of age movie and it deals with a very serious topic – Aids.

Although the person who has aids – is Leo – the scenario wraps around the way in which Marcel (the youngest brother of Leo) coupes with the sickness of his relative. At first everyone is trying to hide the truth from Marcel – he is believed to be too young to understand the sickness of his brother – the fact that Leo is also a homosexual contributes to the unwillingness of the parents to discus the matter with the young Marcel. I know from experience that on many occasions most older people do not want to accept the fact that sometimes even when someone is young this does not automatically means that he will not be able to accept the reality and act in more adequate manner then even themselves . With exception of the fact that the family tried to conceal the truth from Marcel, they have left quite an impression for me – the way they supported their son – even after discovering the truth about his sexuality and his sickness. The fact that they allowed the young Marcel to travel along with Leo to Paris to meet his ex boyfriend was quite a gesture from them– most families I know will be reluctant to do that. There is a lot of warmth in the scenes in which the brothers spend some time together – you can see them being real friends , concern about each other.

Close to Leo is an excellent drama, which I strongly recommend