Drawing Closer Parent Guide

Akito (Ren Nagase) just found out he has one year to live after a tumor was discovered on his heart. Distraught and not wanting to cause his loved ones prolonged suffering, he goes to the roof of the hospital with plans to jump. There he meets Haruna (Natsuki Deguchi), a beautiful young woman with a rare terminal illness who is living out her remaining time in the hospital. Inspired by her optimism and courage in the face of death, Akito decides to get to know her better and understand the source of her positive outlook on her tragic circumstances.

As the two grow closer together, Akito keeps his diagnosis a secret from Haruna, not wanting to cause her any sadness as her health starts to fail. Instead, he tries to help her live out some of her dreams before the end, and in turn finds himself fulfilling some of his own.

Weepy teen tragedy-dramas have never really been my thing. (Aside from a brief phase of loving A Walk to Remember in high school of course. I was a very different person when I was 16, ok?) Personal preferences aside, I know that there is a market for these stories, and the target audiences know exactly what they want. And what they want is Drawing Closer.

This is a well-produced, well-acted melodrama with high amounts of sappiness and tears, and no laughs to be had. The characters’ lives are unbelievably tragic, the story tugs on just the right heart strings, and the symbolism smacks you right over the head. For people who like that kind of movie, I think they will be extremely happy with this production. I’m not one of those people, but I can appreciate a clear vision and solid execution.

The almost complete lack of negative content makes this an appropriate choice for teens and adults. The plot element around contemplating suicide is done tastefully and without any glorification. In fact, this film actively demonstrates why suicide isn’t the answer and what there is to live for, even in the face of tragedy. Although sappy and melodramatic, the story manages to maintain a feeling of hope. This is not a film for everyone, but for fans of this genre and tone, Drawing Closer would pair nicely with a pint of ice cream and a box of tissues.