Richard Crouse

SYNOPSIS: In “Close to You,” a new family drama now playing in theatres, Academy Award Nominee Elliot Page stars as Sam, a trans man visiting his family for the first time in four years. The trip home is a journey of self-discovery as Sam confronts the past and reconnects with Katherine (Hillary Baack), an old flame.

CAST: Elliot Page, Hillary Baack, Peter Outerbridge, Wendy Crewson, Alex Paxton-Beesley, Janet Porter, Daniel Maslany, David Reale, Andrew Bushell, Sook-Yin Lee. Directed by Dominic Savage.

REVIEW: Led by strong performances, “Close to You” is emotional, therapeutic and just a little bit messy. It feels intimate, up-close-and-personal, as tensions grow in Sam’s family and a past romance rekindles.

There’s an immediacy to director Dominic Savage’s work as he captures the fraught interactions between Sam and his family. With no formal script, the actors improvise, bringing a naturalism to the scenes of Sam’s homecoming.

Unfortunately, while some of the movie sounds natural, much of the dialogue meanders around in search of a point. The improvisational nature brings with it unfocussed scenes as the actors look for a way to forward the action. There’s lots of repetition, as the characters speak in circles, and yet the important stuff, like motivations, are left unsaid.

There are exceptions. A scene between Sam and his father Jim (Peter Outerbridge) is tightly focused on their relationship and Jim‘s acceptance of his son. It’s beautifully performed, with passion, but also with restraint. As mother Miriam, Wendy Crewson navigates difficult waters, misgendering Sam in a heartbreaking conversation.

A later scene at the dinner table is a climatic high in terms of the film’s story and Sam’s journey, but its cathartic effectiveness is muted by histrionics.

The stand-out is Page who radiates the apprehension and anxiety Sam feels in subtle and interesting ways. It’s a raw and real performance that helps smooth over some of the film’s rough patches.