Close: Movie Review

Cast: Eden Dambrine, Gustav de Waele
Director: Lukas Dhont

As devastating as ever a film would be about the close friendship between two boys that goes awry, Girl director Lukas Dhont's Close never loses any of its intimacy as it plays out.

It's the story of Leo (Dambrine) and Remi (de Waele), a couple of boys whose friendship has never been closer. Playing together, living in each other's pockets and generally appearing like something more than friends, the duo's bond comes under scrutiny when they start school and end up in a class together.

As scrutiny and speculation grows over their friendship, tragedy comes knocking - and Dhont's film builds to its crescendo of quietness.

Close isn't the kind of movie that delivers its devastating moments with fanfare.

By taking the time to build and involve the audience in Leo and Remi's friendship and relationship, the story proves to be unnervingly devastating as it heads to a series of in-movie revelations. But it's in the verite the movie plays out with its never-acted-before leads proving to be captivating as the tale plays out.

Dhont's care with the camera, and the innate ability of the leads to underplay the material in parts makes Close a particularly devastating movie to watch; one that comes with much veracity and yet still feels like a fictional tale worth watching.

Its raw edges are unflinching and its subtlety of execution is a testament to all those involved - it's more than just a movie about loss in all its different forms. A quietly acute and moving film, Close is one of those haunting films which stays with you long after it's done, thanks to the well-helmed cinematography, sensitive direction and understated power of its leads.