Glenn Close mans up as 'Albert Nobbs'

To a modern eye, Glenn Close and Janet McTeer may not look instantly convincing as women passing for men in "Albert Nobbs." But a revelatory moment comes late in the film, when their characters change gender yet again, stepping out in flouncy dresses and bonnets. They look ungainly and uncomfortable. They look more than a little homely. They look, finally and unquestionably, like men.

That small but crucial scene speaks volumes about this funny, sorrowful, richly layered and tremendously moving film. Though classifiable as "gay," that seems a narrow definition for a film that isn't much concerned with sex or even love. Essentially, it's a movie about what it means to be happy.