“Drawing Closer“Â is a beautiful melodrama about life, death, kindness, love, and time. It follows the heartbreaking story of Haruna and Akito, two 17 year olds who are diagnosed with terminal illnesses, her with six months left to live and him with one year. In their shared despair, they meet, fall in love, and save each other. Though the two leads truly love one another, and there are awkward stares, small gestures, gifts and daily visits, Takahiro Miki doesn’t fully focus on their romance.
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Instead, “Drawing Closer” aims to capture how a relationship can save someone from an abyss of despair. How being there for each other is helping Haruna and Akito to value their time again, to smile again, to live again, to learn what love truly is, and to enjoy their final moments together. When they meet, these characters are ready to die, but fate gives them something, someone worth living for, which brings meaning to their short lives.
Akito’s sole purpose in life is now to make Haruna happy, and once she finds out about his illness, she dedicates all the time she has left to making him happy as well. This mutual love they have for each other transcends romance. Their love is like that of a fairytale, like Snow White and the prince who brought her back to life with a kiss. They aren’t scared of death anymore, because they know they’ll be with each other again, in Heaven or in the next life.
Every element of the film is filled with beauty and hope, but always with a deep sense of sadness, from the symbolism in the Gerbera flowers, to the fireworks scene, and to the meaning behind the intense and vibrant color grading (Haruna and Akito helped each other to see color in this monochrome world). “Drawing Closer” is a really empathetic story that is so intensely sad, it will not fail to make you cry. It is equal parts heartwarming and devastating, all emotions are deeply felt, and both Haruna and Akito are easy to connect with.
And that is only possible due to the great acting performances. Natsuki Deguchi is the obvious standout with a very innocent, vulnerable and genuine portrayal of Haruna, but Ren Nagase is equally as great as Akito. And they share a lovely, awkward chemistry that makes their characters’ time together extremely enjoyable and comforting to watch. Mayuu Yokota also excels in her supporting role, with a moving performance that deserves just as much praise as the two leads.
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“Drawing Closer” does have its downsides, like the fact that the characters lack depth and personality, and seem more like an embodiment of their illnesses. The screenplay can also fall into some clichés, not to mention that it’s very unrealistic and the plot relies heavily on convenience. Still, giving the film’s emotional value, it’s easy to look past these J-drama tropes and truly appreciate the story as it is. The one thing that can actually be criticized is the fact that, at times, Takahiro Miki tries to spoon-feed the themes to his audience. A little discretion and subtlety could’ve done “Drawing Closer” some good, because some things are better transmitted through literally anything but words.
“Drawing Closer” is a tear-jerker film that any viewer can find beautiful and pure in every aspect, from the pastel-colored visuals, to the actors themselves, and to its messages about terminal illness, life and love. Nowadays, few films feel this sincere, gentle and full of heart.
