Thursday, August 29, 2024, 11:44 a.m.
Oscar nominee Elliot Page stars in his first film role since announcing his gender reassignment in 2020. In Close To You, he plays Sam, a transgender man living in Toronto who travels to the small town he grew up in for his father’s birthday. It’s the first time he’s been there in four years, and beneath his family’s feigned acceptance lies a tension that just won’t go away. Sam struggles to navigate a barrage of projections and critical scrutiny.
Director Dominic Savage’s film doesn’t reveal everything; it’s only piecemeal that we get why Sam has been away for so long, as the cast reenacts scenes that will be painfully familiar to many queer viewers. The family’s dishonesty gives way to resentment, as they make Sam’s transition their own, and are appalled that anyone could be happy with their youngest child’s choices.
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Small moments, like Sam’s mother (Wendy Crewson) misgendering him, give the story an authenticity that other queer dramas often lack. As the tension builds, the script loses its subtlety, but the momentum is saved by the passion of the actors on screen. Elliot Page is absolutely magnificent in his very personal portrayal. He makes Sam a calm but uncompromising character who prepares for a fight like a boxer.
When these fights occur, his voice shakes with nervous giggles and stutters, but the truth is spoken whether it is heard or not. He exemplifies the experience of many older LGBTQ+ people, who have to justify their joy to people who cannot or will not understand them. Everyone who plays Sam’s family plays their part in his emotional autopsy, from the aggression of his brother-in-law (David Reale), who is angry because his arrival has spoiled the atmosphere, to his sister (Janet Porter), who alludes to the “opportunities” she feels he missed out on by transitioning.
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Opinions may differ on the film’s themes, but people from all walks of life will recognize that family matters are a delicate matter. Close To You doesn’t always manage to hit the big moments, but it’s a smart decision to cast a lead actor who knows what his character is going through.
Along with recent indie hit Monica, this film joins the small but powerful collection of films about the trans experience, telling a story from the perspective of those who have traditionally been ignored.