The 2020 Japanese drama Drawing Closer offers a heartfelt look at the connection between two teens facing mortality. Directed by Takahiro Miki, the film is based on Aoi Morita’s novel about 17-year-olds Akihito and Haruna, whose chance meeting at a hospital takes an emotional turn. They form a bond despite each having a terminal illness—Akihito has a year to live with a heart condition, while Haruna was born with a disease, giving her just six months.
Led by the performances of Ren Nagase as the brooding Akihito and lively Natsuki Deguchi as the smiling Haruna, the movie focuses on how their friendship develops. Haruna finds purpose in art and faces death openly, helping Akihito rediscover his passion for painting after losing hope. They spend afternoons sharing sketches at Haruna’s bedside, growing close yet guarded about their conditions.
As more time passes, Akihito works to reunite Haruna with an old friend while hiding his own struggles. His feelings intensify alongside frequent health scares, though relatable barriers like shyness prevent romance. Throughout, Miki’s direction turns simple moments into opportunities for quiet introspection on life’s beauty despite its brevity.
While certainly emotional, Drawing Closer distinguishes itself through charming young leads and their moving relationship at the story’s heart. Fans of bittersweet romances will find much to appreciate in its honest depiction of finding purpose in fleeting human connections.
Reviewing Connections
The storyline introduces Akito as he gazes down from a hospital rooftop, contemplating his fate. It’s there he spots Haruna beneath the trees, her sketchbook capturing his interest. She glows with life despite facing her final months. Their friendship seeds when Akito learns of her rare disease, giving Haruna only half a year left, while a heart condition limits his time to just one.
Both teens share a passion for art, creating beauty from emotions. Haruna’s cheer lifts Akito’s depressed spirit, though he shields his struggle from her at first. Each day finds him near, flowers in hand as Haruna’s smiles ease his worry for her solitude. Through drawings and texts, their bond deepens, yet Akito’s feelings remain unspoken in his shyness.
Akito works subtly to reconnect Haruna with an old friend, while delving into her past brings him comfort. But his poor heart aches for more, even as secrets and health issues keep the truth of each situation guarded. Time slips relentlessly by, their friendship all that eases the sadness of short lives. Scares arise through gentle scenes as viewers feel each moment’s value.
The main character’s storylines unfold with care, always circling back to the relationship, providing meaning amongst difficulties. Daily encounters and kind acts show characters finding purpose in each other during hardships, their connection giving solace though heavy fates loom.
Tapping into Emotions
The central characters experience profound transformations as the story unfolds. Akito starts in a dark place, gazing sadly from the hospital rooftop as he struggles with his impending death. Played powerfully by Nagase, Akito wrestles with denial and despair—until meeting the radiant Haruna pulls him from that pit of gloom.
From there we see Akito’s emotional journey as he gradually finds hope and purpose again through their bond. Nagase subtly portrays Akito’s shifting inner conflicts and growth.
Haruna, portrayed beautifully by Deguchi, presents a fascinating contrast. Where Akito hides his worries in anger and upset, Haruna faces her fate openly with constant smiles. Some view her cheer as unusual, but Deguchi ensures we see the inner sharpness beneath—and moments when even Haruna falters. She brings both resilience and vulnerability to the character. In helping Akito rediscover life’s moments, Haruna finds meaning for herself until the end.
While their struggles differ greatly, both protagonists understand each other in a way no other can. Deguchi and Nagase play off one another well, conveying the deep care and trust between these friends holding back time. How they support each other through sadness and joy remains the emotional core viewers admire.
Exploring Perspectives
The film delicately handles some profound subjects. A central theme looks at life’s transitory nature and fragility. Both Akito and Haruna face mortality in their teens, yet respond very differently at first. She embraces what little time remains while he shuts down. As they learn from each other, the story suggests even dire circumstances can be endured through compassionate bonds.
Their relationship also examines finding purpose in fleeting moments. Haruna lives fully in the present, loving art and people. Witnessing her zest inspires Akito to rediscover painting and live deliberately too, instead of brooding over his diagnosis. Despite inevitable endings, their friendship becomes the most meaningful part of each character’s journey. Even in loss, meaningful connections live on in our hearts.
To emphasize life’s value, the film sweeps viewers along melancholic storylines. It peppers in health scares amongst gentle scenes to make each second feel vital. Somber parts don’t drag, keeping a hopeful tone through imagery like Haruna decorating her room. The characters also find reprieve in the small joys they share, from texts to fireworks plans. These details imply we can overcome difficulties through appreciated time with loved ones.
Overall, the movie uses Akito and Haruna’s relationship to contemplate big questions. It reminds audiences that even when beset by troubles outside our control, we decide how to find purpose and make the most of what time we have.
Experiencing Emotions Through Vision
Director Takahiro Miki shows a deft hand at crafting emotionally impactful scenes. He understands how subtle directorial choices can deepen a story’s themes. From the small glimpses he provides, it’s clear Miki paid close attention to intimate character details and the changing bond between Akito and Haruna.
Beautiful cinematography likewise enhances the evolving relationship. Soft lighting lent Haruna a glowing quality when she first captured Akito’s eye, giving their meeting a chance and a hopeful feel. As colors remained vivid despite sorrowful themes, the lens warmly embraced even difficult moments. Clever symbolism within landscapes and facilities further conveyed themes through visuals alone.
Though much is unsaid between the two teens, the camera shares their perspectives with eloquence. Moments where Haruna’s smiles brightened Akito’s world or he brought her joy in turn come through clearly. Longing looks and guarded feelings emerge naturally on screen through ingenious shot selection. Such subtlety keeps viewers deeply invested in these characters’ fates.
Miki and the cinematographer give viewers a window into the heart, letting us observe the blossoming care and tribulations of Akito’s journey with patience and care. Their artistic efforts ground even heavy subjects in beauty and assurance that life holds meaning, regardless of what joys or hardships time may bring each soul.
Delving into Depths
The heart of any film lies in its characters, and Drawing Closer finds strength in standout lead performances. Nagase takes Akihito from a place of despair into a journey of healing, ensuring audience investment in his struggles. We feel Akihito’s sorrow along with glimpses of hope rekindled through connection. In contrast, Deguchi paints Haruna as a radiant spirit even while hinting at private pains.
Both actors breathe depth into their roles in a way that resonates profoundly. Nagase subtly shows Akihito emerging from his shell as the optimism of Haruna’s friendship reawakens his dormant creative spark. Deguchi matches this with a multi-layered Haruna; she understands life’s beauty despite facing her end and helps Akito acknowledge his own. Their balanced portrayals anchor the tender bond at the movie’s heart.
While the characters face loss, Nagase and Deguchi ensure we also feel life’s precious moments the pair share. Laughter and camaraderie lighten heavier themes through their skilled work. Even in sorrow, the actors locate beauty in finding purpose in one another’s presence until the very end. Their powerful performances move us as Akihito and Haruna’s story moves them—and in that way the portrayal truly comes alive.
Reflecting on Connections
Drawing Closer weaves a simple yet impactful story of two teenagers finding meaning in each other amid personal hardships. Akito starts in a place of despair, but Haruna’s cheer lifts his spirit and inspires him to make the most of the remaining time. Though their fates seem bleak, together they make even hard moments bearable through genuine care and companionship.
The film succeeds in its aim of stirring emotion through following these characters’ bond as it deepens from a chance meeting into something profoundly comforting for both. Director Miki and the talented lead actors work in tandem to breathe full-bodied life into Akito and Haruna’s dynamic relationship at the heart of the tale. While certainly melodramatic and familiar in its tear-jerking ways, the movie ultimately resonates through triumphantly showing life’s beauty can emerge even from ashes, found through compassionate human connections.
While Akito and Haruna face sorrowful endings, their story remains uplifting in depicting how meaningful relationships become the most important part of our lives, granting hope and purpose when we need it most. Even if its story doesn’t break new artistic ground, Drawing Closer fulfills its purpose of touching audiences and reminding us to appreciate each moment and person that makes our time here brighter.
The Review
Drawing Closer
Though familiar and overly sentimental at times, Drawing Closer works due to its heartfelt focus on the bond between Akito and Haruna. Their bittersweet story reminds viewers to cherish relationships and live fully in spite of life's difficulties. Directed with care and eleviated by superb performances from Nagase and Deguchi, the film succeeds in stirring emotion through these characters' profoundly human connection.
PROS
- Emotional storylines effectively depict the power of human relationships.
- Sensitive direction and thoughtful cinematography enhance themes.
- Exceptional lead performances by Nagase and Deguchi deeply engage viewers.
- Scenes often use imagery rather than dialogue to portray complex emotions.
- Emphasizes appreciating life and making the most of our limited time.
CONS
- Predictable and formulaic storyline for the melodramatic genre
- Some may find tone overly sentimental and characters two-dimensional.
- Slow pacing could frustrate those not keen on soaking cryfests.
- Not a lot of surprises for viewers familiar with similar tearjerkers.
- Fairly clichéd take on the dying teen romance trope
