The raw power of improvisational acting in a personal passion project
In short: Elliot Page didn't just star in Close to You; he co-wrote the story and used high levels of improvisation to fuel the performance. Critics described the result as a series of explosive, unflinchingly immediate scenes that prioritize raw emotional honesty over polished, traditional narrative structure.
Close to You is a 2023 drama that serves as a significant passion project for actor Elliot Page. Working alongside director Dominic Savage, Page co-wrote the story and served as a producer. The film follows Sam, a trans man who travels from Toronto to Cobourg to attend his father's birthday party—a trip he has avoided for years due to anxiety about his family's reaction. The narrative centers on the tension between his past and present, specifically through a chance encounter with an old high school friend, Katherine, on a VIA train.
The production was characterized by a high degree of improvisation, a technique Page described as a highlight of his acting career. This approach contributed to a polarizing critical reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 68% approval rating from 62 critics, with the consensus noting that the improvisational scripting creates 'dramatically uneven but ultimately moving results.' Metacritic provided a more conservative weighted average of 55 out of 100, reflecting mixed reviews from 17 critics.
Despite the divided scores, the film's impact is often tied to its visceral quality. Critic Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com compared the experience to 'explosive material being slung about,' noting that the film values immediacy over 'neatness.' While some may find the structure less conventional than a carefully shaped drama, the consensus highlights Page's performance as a standout element, praised even by those who were otherwise critical of the film's execution.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Close to You (2023 film)
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