Close to You Parent Guide

Four years. It’s been four long years since Sam (Elliot Page) has been back to his hometown. In that time, he transitioned from female to male and built a life in the city of Toronto. Now he’s back in small-town Ontario for his dad’s birthday, tentatively hopeful that he won’t feel like “a disappointment”.

Much to Sam’s surprise (and the viewer’s), his welcome home is warm. An old best friend he meets on the train is happy to see him, his mother is tearful, his dad is proud, and a sister is apologetic. Another sister’s boyfriend is a bit of a jerk, but Sam is confident enough not to sit and take it. The minimal tension in the plot just leaves me wondering, “What’s the point of this movie?”

Not much happens in Close to You. There’s an undercooked main course of reconciliation, an under-spiced side dish of conflict, and a dessert serving of romance. That’s it. The script is neither exciting nor profound, it’s just there.

What the film offers is a course in ally-ship for those trying to support friends or relatives in the trans community. Despite his fears, Sam receives lots of encouragement and positive affirmations from the most important people in his life, and his parents are definitely poster children for others who are trying to be supportive. They’re not perfect, but they’re loving and committed to supporting their son. This isn’t a bad idea; but it’s mighty thin gruel for a full-length feature film.

The script’s thin plot is filled out with some negative content, including over 40 sexual expletives and a discreetly filmed sex scene (without explicit nudity). Spoiler warning: When Sam has sex with a married woman, neither of them seem to care at all for the feelings of the betrayed husband. They discuss having Sam meet the children, but there is no consideration for the potential upheaval this relationship could cause in their lives. It’s selfish and shallow and deeply depressing.

This website does not exist to rehash culture war topics, and the point of this review is not to debate complex and multilayered LGBTQ issues. Rather, it’s to assess Close to You as a movie. And as a movie, it fails to impress. Yes, Elliot Page is a fine actor, and, yes, this production provides unique insight into the challenges faced by a trans person. Unfortunately, it feels more like a therapy session than a film, and that’s not something that makes me want to grab my popcorn and sit down and watch.