Already with the first film he made (Girl), the young Belgian screenwriter and director Lukas Dhont (born in 1991) became a favorite of European critics, and he confirmed that status with the next film. “Close” is an impressive, intimate drama in which Dhont again deals with young people, and while “Girl” was a drama based on true events about a girl trapped in a boy’s body who wants to be a ballerina, now he deals with the theme of friendship in transition from boyhood into adolescence. Leo (extraordinary debutant Eden Dambrine was nominated for European Actor of the Year) and Remi (Gustaw De Waele) are 13-year-olds who are inseparable. They have been best friends since childhood and are as close as brothers. They are constantly together, which is why even at school they tease them that there is something more than friendship between them.
Slightly worried about what his schoolmates will think of them and irritated by the constant teasing, Leo will slowly start to distance himself from Remi. He will quickly fit into a new society and find a new team, while the more sensitive and sensitive Remi will suffer because of this and will not be able to understand why Leo suddenly treats him so coldly. And all of this will lead to a great tragedy, after which Leo will begin to question his behavior and be haunted by a sense of guilt. And it is obvious that Dhont is a follower of his famous compatriots, the Dardenne brothers, who also made a name for themselves by shooting similar intimate, realistic and emotional dramas that often focused on youth issues.
Dhont also adheres to a naturalistic approach and everything here seems very realistic, real, but still stylized, gentle, empathetic and the viewer can really observe the world through Leo’s eyes. Through the eyes of a boy who undergoes a psychophysical transformation and enters puberty, he tries to find his own identity and fight for his place in society. He is trying to fit in, adapt, and if necessary, he will begin to behave completely differently from what was natural for him until yesterday. It is a film with strong emotions, moving, emotional, and yet filmed in such an interesting and original way.
The camera is almost constantly in motion and follows the boys as they ride their bikes across the green Belgian fields to school or as they ride their bikes. There are often faces in the foreground, and Dhont once again did a fantastic casting job and chose kids who are exceptionally good at conveying the desired emotion, even though it was the first movie experience for both young people. The viewer can deduce from their looks, gestures, and facial expressions how they feel at which moment and no matter how touching and emotional, almost lyrical film that avoids falling into melodrama, “Close” is a masterful drama that also leaves a strong visual impression. As the seasons change from summer to autumn to winter, so does the mood of the film, and Dhont’s film is not only among the five films nominated for an Oscar outside the English-speaking world, but was also nominated for a Golden Globe, won a major award jury in Cannes, and it also had four nominations in the selection for the European film of the year (film, direction, screenplay and main actor).