Closer (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Closer', a heavy drama directed by Mike Nichols, is a character study of 2 London couples whose inter-relational infidelities tear them apart. They meet, they love, they fight, they hate ... really hate. The direction, acting & dialogues are individually superb. But when it's all over, it's hard to have related to or enjoyed these caustic characters. On the surface, I find the film to be hypnotically riveting. The only drawback is that it leaves you cold & joyless.
Dan & Alice (Jude Law, Natalie Portman) meet on the street when she's hit by a car & he rescues her. They move-in & become a couple. Time passes, and Dan, an obituary writer, soon finds himself obsessed with Anna (Julia Roberts), a photographer who's taking a picture of him for the inside cover of his new novel. He wants her, but she replies, "You're taken", and you'd think that puts an end to it. Wrong. Inadvertently, Dan introduces Larry (Clive Owen) to Anna as a practical joke (Dan pretends to be Anna in an internet sex chat). Anna & Larry hit it off and marry! But some residual chemistry btwn. Anna & Dan re-surfaces. And in a twist of fate, Larry & Alice seem to have something going on, as well. What an emotionally destructive mess!
Some years pass and we learn that they've all been screwing (literally) around with each other behind each other's backs. All parties know they're cheating; and they're pretty sure that they're being cheated on (that's what counts, of course). Betrayals, backstabbing, and lots of ugly arguments ensue. Alice (Portman) is a clingy girlfriend. I can see why Dan (Law) longs for the mature Anna (Roberts). But when Anna gets too boring, he'd jump back on the youth train and toy with Alice's emotions again. Likewise, Anna 'loves' Larry (Owen), but prefers Dan, sexually. Larry & Alice are drawn together because they know they're the 'other' man/woman. But then they betray each other, as well. These are 4 highly manipulative, reckless, vengeful, bitter human beings. It's splendid to watch.
Angry, pessimistic interrogations are aplenty within 'Closer'. Jude Law lends a thoughtful performance as a shallow, selfish, sexual predator. But he leaves the smallest impression here. Julia Roberts' performance is nuance-laden and a departure from her usual sunny self. But it's Natalie Portman who impresses more so as the precocious, yet vulnerable sexpot (she's a part-time stripper). And Clive Owen steals the show as sex-addicted dermatologist, Larry, a sort of milquetoast master puppeteer; torturing the souls of those who he's been hurt by. All these characters are as cold as ice; they really do deserve every short straw that they draw. Instead of lying to each other to feign happiness; they're all brutally honest with each other about their infidelities; bad things are bound to happen.
Do any of them stick together? Who'll be hurt most? Who won't give a damn? They're all obsessed with getting back at each other; this is the narrative that drives the pulse of the film. 'Closer' is often funny, very witty, hurtful, dangerous, and highly erotic (the scene where Dan/Anna & Larry chat on the computer will tweak your sexual senses). As you leave the theater, you'll be shaken by the emotional wallop that 'Closer' lends. You'll appreciate the direction, the honesty of the script, & the IMPECCABLE acting. The movie is wonderful at conveying lovelorn misery. That known, I leave it to you to decide if the movie is right for you.
Dan & Alice (Jude Law, Natalie Portman) meet on the street when she's hit by a car & he rescues her. They move-in & become a couple. Time passes, and Dan, an obituary writer, soon finds himself obsessed with Anna (Julia Roberts), a photographer who's taking a picture of him for the inside cover of his new novel. He wants her, but she replies, "You're taken", and you'd think that puts an end to it. Wrong. Inadvertently, Dan introduces Larry (Clive Owen) to Anna as a practical joke (Dan pretends to be Anna in an internet sex chat). Anna & Larry hit it off and marry! But some residual chemistry btwn. Anna & Dan re-surfaces. And in a twist of fate, Larry & Alice seem to have something going on, as well. What an emotionally destructive mess!
Some years pass and we learn that they've all been screwing (literally) around with each other behind each other's backs. All parties know they're cheating; and they're pretty sure that they're being cheated on (that's what counts, of course). Betrayals, backstabbing, and lots of ugly arguments ensue. Alice (Portman) is a clingy girlfriend. I can see why Dan (Law) longs for the mature Anna (Roberts). But when Anna gets too boring, he'd jump back on the youth train and toy with Alice's emotions again. Likewise, Anna 'loves' Larry (Owen), but prefers Dan, sexually. Larry & Alice are drawn together because they know they're the 'other' man/woman. But then they betray each other, as well. These are 4 highly manipulative, reckless, vengeful, bitter human beings. It's splendid to watch.
Angry, pessimistic interrogations are aplenty within 'Closer'. Jude Law lends a thoughtful performance as a shallow, selfish, sexual predator. But he leaves the smallest impression here. Julia Roberts' performance is nuance-laden and a departure from her usual sunny self. But it's Natalie Portman who impresses more so as the precocious, yet vulnerable sexpot (she's a part-time stripper). And Clive Owen steals the show as sex-addicted dermatologist, Larry, a sort of milquetoast master puppeteer; torturing the souls of those who he's been hurt by. All these characters are as cold as ice; they really do deserve every short straw that they draw. Instead of lying to each other to feign happiness; they're all brutally honest with each other about their infidelities; bad things are bound to happen.
Do any of them stick together? Who'll be hurt most? Who won't give a damn? They're all obsessed with getting back at each other; this is the narrative that drives the pulse of the film. 'Closer' is often funny, very witty, hurtful, dangerous, and highly erotic (the scene where Dan/Anna & Larry chat on the computer will tweak your sexual senses). As you leave the theater, you'll be shaken by the emotional wallop that 'Closer' lends. You'll appreciate the direction, the honesty of the script, & the IMPECCABLE acting. The movie is wonderful at conveying lovelorn misery. That known, I leave it to you to decide if the movie is right for you.