A completely beautiful, emotional, touching film that totally engrossed me from start to finish. The acting, particularly by the two main characters, was faultless and the cinematography beautiful. Once in a while, a film truly leaves it's mark on you and this for me is one of them. Can't recommend highly enough.

Great Expectations... THIS IS A MASTERPIECE and it took me three years to finally watch this movie. I knew it would hit home, but it hit much harder than I expected. Lukas d'Hondt has been able to depict in perfection what a young teenager goes through. I know because I went through it myself. I lost my best friend when I was 15 for the exact same reasons and it destroyed me. I had the same thoughts that Remi acted on, so this depiction is exact and the actors are exceptional in bringing to the screen. Their awards are all very deserved. The message of the movie today is still ignored. I have seen the damage of adults throw at their children when someone "that isn't like them" is clearly worded. I have seen a young boy of 10 starting to realise that maybe some of his friends are not manly enough to be around. Then they start ignoring them or worse, turning on them. When you see that happen it breaks your heart, and there is nothing you can do about it as an outsider because if you do then you are accused of the most horrid things. Adults haven't changed, we never will, we will always find a little guy to bully. It's more relevant than ever. but to those people the message will hit a brick wall. I watched it with someone who is so egocentric that he found the movie less than mediocre and didn't get the message nor story. Lukas D'Hondt has masterfully given a movie that made me cry for the first time in a long. everything about it is captivating and the storytelling is so great that it makes it even more haunting, but it a pretty setting. The moments of silence are the moments that speak the most words. the only real downside is near the ending. the scene where Leo and Remi's mother hold each other in mutual grief and pain, lacks that "je ne sais quoi" after it to make it deeper and it misses a scene that closes their story. The reason why she moves away, the "it's okay" moment. because like this ends now, the boy is left to his own devises, just as harmful. I look forward to a follow up on Leo's story in young adulthood, where he will find love and makes his career choice. It will probably never happen, but the psychology of the story doesn't end there. and with the passing of Emilie Dequenne just a few days ago, it makes a fitting start of a new story.

This movie started so beautifully with naturalistic acting and the chemistry between Leo and Remi which was very alive (if a little over-played). I had really bought into the characters and their relationship and was thinking this movie was going to be about the complexity of their intimacy as friends and whether or not there was anything more than friends wanting to emerge as they approached puberty. But the second half of the movie took a major turn in the story-telling style that I felt it dwelled in for way too long. I guess it wanted you to really feel the grief, which of course I did, but it wasn't satisfying for me... just sad and heavy and way too long. The repression from all the characters was the main point which was well made, but then what?

cuándo veo una película que va más a lo sentimental, me basta con que me haga sentir para decir si es buena, la fotografía es preciosa, hay muchos clips memorables y aunque ví que hay gente que no entendió, puede ser por una disociación de los temas delicados de los que se hablan, no todos tienen la sensibilidad y agudez para identificar escenas implícitas. Lloré 😔

I thought this movie,among other things,was an examination of grief and who to turn to,to deal with it.Leo found his release through Remi's mother.I got the impression that mother and father,though inconsolable,could not connect.Leo's own family,including his brother,did not truly understand Two scenes stand out. The long shot with lingering camera of Remi's mother the recital pondering her deceased son,and The scene in Remi,s bedroom with Leo' and the mother..who was going to break the ice I thought the actress who played the mother was great The Europeans do a great job easing you into a movie,and you wonder who are going to be the key players.This film is no exception

Well-intentioned but disappointingly uninvolving, Close attempts to portray a heartbreaking story of grief-processing, but ultimately falls into an envervating cycle of excessive sentimentality, messily rendered characters, and a narrative that essentially stops at the one-hour mark.

In this life there is people that deserves all in this world and in the afterlife, this movie is a work of art that knowns about it.

Es una buena pelicula pero todo fue demasiado rapido, le hubiera dado mas profundidad a las multiples peleas entre los niños y no tanto al punto de inflexion de la pelicula, de todos modos, fue una experiencia muy emotiva y recomendable. En mi opinion pudo haber sido mejor, pero fue muy agradable de ver.

By far one of the saddest movies I’ve ever seen. A truly remarkable movie to invoke so much real emotion. You’ll find yourself in need of a box of tissues… I personally don’t always watch movies in another language but this movie makes it not matter. You won’t regret watching this movie but you will cry. I’m still crying now. Beautiful movie! ♥️😭

Never has a film, television show or even a book captured what it's like to be 12-year-old boy better than this. I had actually forgotten the complex feelings my friends and I had at that age. This movie reminded me. It made me want to reach out to my own 12-year-old BFF. This movie is great and it's haunting. Somehow I'm just left feeling it's more true than anything else I've seen dealing with the same issues. It's not some romanticized version of what we wished. Things were like when we were this age. There's just so much truth to this movie.

The first time I have ever cried watching a movie. Also the second time I've ever cried watching a movie.

First half of movie is drawn out & a bit snoozy/i dont need 50 minutes to establish the 2 kids are great friends. Vibe is a bit weird between the two, if you know what i mean(wink 😉). Then i read the director is a big alternative lifestyle dude & i am fearing the worst. Then the movie takes a turn, and kicks into high dramatic gear. The acting is superb particularly Remis’ mom and the main character. Very emotional but with a satisfactory ( and positive) ending. Well worth a watch.

The use of non-visual elements like sound and touch enhances the emotional depth, making every scene resonate with raw, unfiltered authenticity.

Absolutely heart wrenching. Perfectly captures the pain of friendship growing up.

This movie has been unable to leave my mind since I watched it. The depth it captures and pure emotion is incredible. The topic of toxic masculinity it captures is extremely powerful and shows how harming these topics can be in peoples world. This film represents grief in a flawless way by not only showing the sorrow faced by an individual but also those impacted by that persons sorrow. The acting throughout the whole movies is incredible as well. The film also does a great job of illustrating how easily people can change just to fit into society's norms regardless of how they feel; and how a person can only care once the thing they once had is no longer accessible, and what they want when it is already too late. This is not a romance This is not a happy ending This is not a satisfying movie This is a tragedy that is real, raw, and sad; it leaves you wondering, why, how, and I wish. This movie is brilliant and is a must watch that really makes you feel as if you are there, you know them, you understand them, and you will not ever forget it.

The pressures of society on youth to conform as played out between two teenage boys and the unfortunate cost it exacts beyond their lost innocence. It is a beautiful and moving film with depth. The two lead actors give outstanding performances.

When you watch the movie you feel that you are or were the same as the protagonist, the mayority of us change something because of the society, and this movie is about the consucuences of doing that.

not as emotionally devastating as i heard it was, but i am impressed with the restraint it has in its depiction of grief. i also appreciated the representation of this very specific type of relationship, since it isn’t one that i can recall seeing in many other movies. contrary to some other reviews i’ve read, i actually thought this movie avoided a lot of the usual melodramatic manipulation. it has its moments, but overall, it felt true.

The film, the story, the actors, the production, in short, are worthy of the attention of all who have watched or will watch it. It is impeccable in every aspect, as it presents a view of the disgusting side of humanity, bullying, prejudice, disrespect, hatred, and it presents the perfect side of the human being, love, friendship, hugs, FEELINGS. It touched me deeply!

Simplesmente perfeito, se vc quer um filme pra chorar de verdade, o filme é esse!