Review: ‘Close to You’ is a Stirring Personal Story from an Impressive Elliot Page

The most poignant stories are often the ones drawn from lived experience. To understand what it’s like not to feel at home in your body is a difficult concept for those who have never considered such a possibility, and the term cisgender exists to distinguish from transgender, equating both as equally valid gender identities. In his first film role since coming out as transgender, Elliot Page delivers an affecting performance as Sam, who cautiously makes his first big trip back home to his family in a number of years.

Sam (Page) is living in Toronto and planning to go home for the first time since his transition, something that fills him with worry since he’s not sure what to expect. On the train home, he runs into Katherine (Hillary Baack), who seems happy to see him at first but then shies away from making plans when they arrive at the train station. Sam is warmly welcomed by members of his family and things appear to be going relatively well until one combative relative upsets the dynamic, causing Sam to question whether he really is safe in an old, all too familiar space like this.

Close to You comes from director Dominic Savage, who collaborated on the screenplay with Page. This is a major step for Page, who was Oscar-nominated for starring in the film Juno back in 2007 and has appeared in a variety of film and television since then, marking his first film role since transitioning. Fans of Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy will already have appreciated his performance in the third and fourth seasons of that series, but this non-genre independent production offers a quieter opportunity to get to know a side of Page that feels deeply rooted in authenticity which audiences haven’t yet had the opportunity to see.

There is no extraordinary fanfare to this very intimate film, which finds Sam living a pleasant existence in a big city surrounded by people who care about him and accept him for who he is and who is forced to consider the risks of undoing all the happiness he has built for himself by going back to a place that might not be comfortable or healthy. The fact that it’s not one giant insult or horrific offense that throws things off speaks to the delicate nature of acceptance and coexistence, and how respectful curiosity can go a long way while casual insensitivity can be extraordinary harmful.

While much of this film finds Sam at home navigating relationships with his family members, its most endearing and powerful scenes are between Sam and Katherine. That Katherine is deaf doesn’t even come up as a plot point, since the two of them see each other for who they are while still remembering how close they were as friends during high school. Their time out of touch has increased the nostalgia but also allowed them to become who they need to be and then once again find each other. Page and Baack both deliver rich and vulnerable performances that carry the film.

In the supporting cast, Wendy Crewson and Peter Outerbridge offer sensitive turns as Sam’s parents, both supportive in their own ways and committed to having their child around but not always able to express that fidelity in the most effective way. For those who can relate to Sam’s situation and the need to redevelop and – in some cases – steer clear of old relationships, this film is sure to be moving, and for those less attuned to that reality, Close to You offers an enduring and productive window into a terrifying return back to a place from the past that may be dangerous.

Movie Rating: 7/10

Awards Buzz: Page is an Oscar nominee, and the chance to compete again but in a different gendered category would mark an impressive and groundbreaking achievement. But this film’s profile, despite Page’s involvement, seems too low to result in major awards consideration, regardless of the quality of his performance.