Most critics take Close warmly, and the praise clusters in one place: the two young leads, above all newcomer Eden Dambrine, whose largely wordless performance several reviews call the reason the film works. Dhont’s direction is credited with restraint and a care for small shifts of feeling, and the first half, in which the boys’ friendship is shown without labels or fuss, attracts almost no complaint. The reservations gather around what happens next. Variety calls the second-half turn manipulative and finds it breaks the spell; IndieWire thinks Dhont still chooses exploitation over depth; The Skinny, the lone outright dissenter, finds the handling of grief hollow. Sight and Sound is gentler but finds the whole thing too neat, the friendship’s collapse decided in advance rather than lived. The spread is narrow at the top and thin at the bottom: fifteen of eighteen are positive, the doubters are few, but they are all doubting the same thing.
T
The Telegraph
2 March 2023 · ★★★★★ · Robbie Collin
100
Dhont delivers a miraculously subtle and emotionally powerful Belgian drama about the tender, intense friendship between two 13-year-old boys and its heartbreaking severance as they enter adolescence. The performances of the young leads are singled out for praise, as is the film’s authentic emotional depth.
The review calls the film a gut punch and monumental achievement, centering on the fragile friendship between two boys that collapses under societal shame and leads to profound grief. It singles out newcomer Eden Dambrine's towering, wordless performance for conveying complex emotions of love, guilt, and loss.
The critic describes it as an intimate, quietly devastating study of childhood friendship and grief, with knockout performances (especially from newcomer Eden Dambrine) and direction of uncommon sensitivity that packs a considerable emotional wallop.
The review describes the film as a devastating depiction of the queerness of childhood, where two boys' intense physical and emotional bond is punished by social forces, leading to tragedy and mourning. It praises Dhont's commitment to sincere pathos and the way the film immerses viewers in overwhelming emotion and the limits of freedom.
The critic praises the clear-eyed tenderness in Dhont's portrayal of playground love, grief, and childhood friendship, despite prior reservations about the director. Highlights the authentic performances and emotional honesty in depicting loss and guilt.
The critic hails it as a poignant hymn to friendship and lost innocence that belongs in the pantheon of great films about leaving childhood behind. Singles out the young actors' believable portrayals of inexpressible emotions and the film's quiet emotional power.
The short Cannes review calls it the closest thing to a breakout arthouse hit, highlighting its emotional wallop from the story of two boys' friendship strained by peer judgement.
The film tracks the intense childhood friendship of two boys that unravels amid external pressures and a central tragedy. Dhont handles the delicate emotional shifts with care in this Oscar-nominated drama.
The review finds the film less problematic than Dhont's prior work but criticizes it for still opting for exploitation over depth in its handling of the boys' bond and its tragic turn. It notes the sensitive approach to adolescent friendship but faults the narrative choices.
Dhont’s precision-tooled heartbreaker depicts an intimate boyhood bond that faces scrutiny and loss. The film earns tears through strong performances but struggles with a disconnect between its visual polish and emotional depths.
The critic finds the film touching due to the central performances but criticizes it for being overly neat and schematic in narrative, imagery, and concepts of masculinity. The rapid disintegration of the friendship feels predetermined rather than organic.
The critic praises the film's sensitive portrayal of the pain and vulnerability of coming of age through the intense friendship of two 13-year-old boys disrupted by homophobia and tragedy. She highlights the young performers' heartbreaking and revelatory performances and the beauty Dhont finds amid the harrowing story.
The critic finds the film touching, topical and devastating as a portrait of teen fear and self-loathing, with authentic child performances and strong family scenes. She notes it is more repetitive and overblown in the third act but still recommends it for its emotional impact.
Dhont’s second feature is a low-key, emotionally resonant coming-of-age drama about two inseparable boys whose intense friendship is disrupted by schoolyard scrutiny and adolescent pressures. The critic praises the natural performances of the young leads and supporting cast, along with the film’s understated direction and evocative score that capture the pain of loss and identity.
The review praises Dhont's layered, exquisitely shot film about two 13-year-old boys whose intense friendship fractures under social pressures, leading to betrayal, shame, and grief. It highlights the stunning lead performance by Eden Dambrine and the film's emotional richness and healing arc.
This is a beautiful, heart-wrenching Belgian melodrama about the abrupt end of boyhood innocence and the tragedy of shifting friendships amid emerging homophobia and social pressures. The two child actors deliver extraordinary performances that anchor the authentic study of loss.
The first half offers a subtle, sensitive portrait of two inseparable 13-year-old boys whose bond feels pure and effortless. A manipulative tragic twist in the second half shatters the spell and feels exasperating.
The critic calls the film devastating and full of love, comparing it favorably to Amour, and deems it a must-see. They single out the lead performance by newcomer Eden Dambrine for particular praise.
The critic calls it a devastating look at the loss of childhood friendship and a gut-wrenching study of loss that feels painfully real. They single out the tender, realistic portrayal of the boys’ bond and the standout performances.
The critic describes the film as an exquisite tale of childhood heartbreak that pulls off something miraculous in its sophomore effort. They single out the performances of the young leads and the director’s skill in delivering emotional impact without cliché.
The critic calls it one of the strongest Competition entries with major awards potential, praising its visual growth and emotional depth in depicting loss of innocence through a close boyhood friendship disrupted by school and tragedy.
The critic finds the film chiefly about the importance of love and understanding, celebrating childhood imagination and compassion amid tragedy. They single out the intimate, raw camerawork and the way gestures and embraces convey emotion.
The review lauds the film's patient direction and focus on an intense, label-defying boyhood friendship that unravels under social pressures, highlighting the young lead's strong interior performance and the story's coming-of-age resonance.
The critic finds the central performances from the young leads strong and notes the film's initial tender exploration of boyhood friendship, but ultimately deems the handling of grief, mental health, and communication issues manipulative and hollow.
Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
