Elliott Page delivers a grandeur performance in a role that speaks for itself. In his days as Ellen Page, he portrayed an emotional teen facing a pregnancy crisis in Juno. In Close to You, Page brings the same energy with realistic feelings experienced identifying as a man. Close to You creates anatmosphere with a sense of disconnect exploring feelings that are hard to tolerate. The desire for acceptance and wanting to feel loved spirals in a spellbinding way. Page portrays someone who is depressed, confused, angry, and questioning. Accepting life for what it is comes with many obstacles in Close to You.

Page plays Sam. Sam is going home to visit his family to celebrate his father’s birthday. He has not returned home in years, and the thought of it causes mentally anguish. The silence of his train ride paints a portrait of what he is feeling because heknows many of his family members question the fact that he transitioned to being a male. On the train, he meets an old friend named Katherine (played by Hillary Baack), who is hearing impaired. Sam senses a chance of feeling loved for who he is. Once he makes it home for his dad’s birthday, the atmosphere begins to be uncertain. His mother, Miriam (played by Wendy Crewson), tries to help him remember he is loved. The rest of the family sends odd vibes to Sam.

The film is all about the patterns of family dynamics. It is crystal clear why Sam keeps encountering annoyances when he comes home. His family including Megan (played by Alex Patton-Beesley), and Kate (played by Janet Porter), tries to talk sense into him and not be hateful or resentful. However, her brother-in-law Paul (played by David Reale), is a narcissist and very unaccepting. The different thought patterns of people in Sam’s home cause him to spiral as he struggles to mentally handle what is going on around him. All he wants is to feel loved for how he chooses to be.

The film stays focused on the many obstacles Sam faces and how they make him feel. When his head is spinning and his family is causing him confusion, does he take a stand? The narrative of Sam being the bigger person is an aspect that weighs heavily in Close to You. We see this as Sam puts people in his family on the spot when they take a confrontational tone with him. When Sam stands up for himself, I felt the film displayed honesty in showcasing the timing of when thingsshould be said and how words can hurt.

Is Close to You realistic? Very much so. Is it a happy film? In parts. Does it matter how Sam identifies? No, it does not. What matters is what Sam’s heart wants.

Choices are not always easy. For Sam, his choice created mixed signals for his family. The film includes conversations from a history of past problems involving Sam and highlights personal conflicts with one another. The past still hurts in Close to Youand the story focuses on a complex reunion where trust amongst family members means everything.

This film is incredibly real. It shows Sam facing a reality thatmany deal with every day. Close to You portrays how people can make tough decisions based on what their gut is telling them. The truth may be hard to accept, but it does not mean there is hatred. Life is about navigating how to help those we love most. There is love in Close to You. It is displayed in the layers of Sam’s personal journey and relationships with both his family and Katherine. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.