Close

"It’s an elegant, beautiful, moving film"

— Alissa Wilkinson, Vox

"[A] sharply observed, heartbreaking masterpiece..."

— G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

"Close is beautiful, sad, tender and wrenching, a towering achievement both at the level of craft and theme."

— Paul Byrnes Sydney, Morning Herald

"Dhont’s second film is a touching and empathetic treatment of male friendship, superbly acted and beautifully filmed."

— John Bleasdale, CineVue

"Dhont, who displayed an impressive artistic vision with his feature and slightly problematic debut 'Girl,' has pulled off something miraculous with his sophomore effort."

— Gregory Ellwood, The Playlist

"A tactile, subtle, moving film about shattered innocence, the pressures of masculinity and how wondrous but fragile that intimate friendship among young boys can be."

— Thelma Adams, AARP Movies for Grownups

"It features world-wise performances from its cast, a haunting score from composer Valentin Hadjadj and breathtaking cinematography from Malte Rosenfeld. It’s a treasure you’ll never forget."

— Randy Myers San, Jose Mercury News

"Shot in alternating French and Flemish, it's also quintessentially European, but the language of his storytelling is the most universal kind: a moving and often sublime piece of small-scale filmmaking, told with uncommon empathy."

— Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly

"The combination of knock out performances, in particular from newcomer Eden Dambrine as Léo, and direction of uncommon sensitivity from Dhont makes for a picture which is intimate in scope but which packs a considerable emotional wallop."

— Wendy Ide, Screen Daily

"Close is a story about growing up and losing those wondrous childhood relationships forever, but it's far more than that. It's a tender glimpse of loss on an unimaginable scale, told through the lens of a young boy trying to make sense of it all."

— Ryan Leston, Slashfilm

"To the pantheon of films about the pains of leaving childhood behind -- The 400 Blows, The Spirit of the Beehive, Rocks, The Go-Between, Boyhood et al -- we should find a spot for this beautiful elegy of lost innocence from Belgian director Lukas Dhont."

— Philip De Semlyen, Time Out

"Fans of stunning cinematography, thoughtful writing and pure, unadulterated emotional torture will find Close to be worthy of the Oscar nod. It’s clear from the beauty and rawness of Close that we’re long overdue for something exploring the closeness between young men."

— Amil Niazi, The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

"Close is a fresh, moving and unforgettable chronicle of masculine trust and devotion. Belgian writer-director Lukas Dhont sustains the balance of mood and physical beauty with a thrilling eloquence and Eden Dambrine as Leo and Gustav DeWaele as Remi are stunning young discoveries who will not easily be forgotten."

— Rex Reed, Observer

"The powerful current Palme d’Or favourite features terrific performances from youthful leads Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele, claustrophobic cinematography from Frank van den Eeden, weepie-worthy orchestrations from Valentin Hadjadj, and meaningful musings on how we hide behind small-talk, and internalise pain and gender norms."

— Tara Brady, The Irish Times

"To watch Close is to be fully immersed in its finely detailed world suggested by Dhont and co-writer Angelo Tijssens; realized by Dhont and cinematographer Frank van den Eeden; and brought to life by the exquisite performances of its top-notch cast, led by Dambrine, De Waele, Dequenne and — as Leo’s mother — Léa Drucker. As its accolades suggest, it is one of the best films of 2022."

— G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle