NOW IN THEATERS! Elliott Page returns to the big screen in the riveting family drama Close To You, written and directed by Dominic Savage. The actor’s long-awaited return is most welcomed. Sam (Elliott Page) is coming back to a small town in the Canadian Sticks for his dad’s birthday. He has been living in Toronto for the last five years and hasn’t kept in touch with his family during that time. Sam is dreading the visit as it will be his first time home since transitioning to male.
“Sam is dreading the visit as it will be his first time home since transitioning to male.”
On the train over, he bumps into Katherine (Hillary Baack), his closest high school friend. She’s now married with children. Katherine is excited to see Sam again but is nervous about reconnecting due to what her husband may think. Once back at the house where he grew up in, tensions quickly rise to the surface. Sam’s mom, Miriam (Wendy Crewson), keeps misgendering him, saying he will always be her little girl. Sam’s dad, Jim (Peter Outerbridge), is more supportive of his son’s gender identity but is bitter over Sam cutting off all communication for so many years. Of course, Paul (David Reale), the boyfriend of one of Sam’s sisters, starts making horribly offensive comments. Sam is exactly as miserable as he thought he would be. The only bright spot during this whole ordeal was how good it was to see Katherine. Sam wants to see her again, husband or not.
It has been seven years since Page was in a movie, the last one being the intriguing Flatliners reboot. I have always cheered him on because Page is an OG cast member of The Trailer Park Boys. Once a trailer park boy, always a trailer park boy, with the life-long following by a questionable fan base to go along with it. As you may have heard, a lot has changed since we last saw him. Page now has the biggest smile I have ever seen anyone wear.
"…Page radiates a power that ripples like silent thunder."
