Closer (2004)
Drama | Romance

A witty, romantic, and very dangerous love story about chance meetings, instant attractions, and casual betrayals. Closer is director Mike Nichols' critically acclaimed look at four strangers - Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen - with one thing in common: each other. Adapted by Patrick Marber from his award-winning stage play, Closer "Vibrates with eroticism, bruising laughs, and dynamic performances. Closer is a triumph!" - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

It's a brutal topic, sex and love, especially when they're combined. I thought the movie was amazing. It captured all of the vulnerability, caustic harshness, and acerbic flirtation that the play vibrated with. All of the cast brought the movie alive. It uplifts and then brings you way down, but that's the point, and yet at the end, I didn't feel depressed or saddened, just really really awake and curious. It's the feeling you get when you get "closer", I suppose.

Storyline: Smart-but-ineffectual journalist Dan "We use euphemisms!" cannot decide between his girlfriend, loving-but-clingy waitress Alice, or his lover cold-but-intellectual photographer Anna; herself indecisive between Dan and honest-but-thuggish "You're bloody gorgeous!" doctor Larry. The film, as Tarantino might put it, puts the four leading characters in a box and strips them apart. Written by Anonymous

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Ben Williams on September 6, 2007 -- Throughout his legendary career as a filmmaker, Mike Nichols has always courted his fair share of controversy while making films that appeal to mainstream audiences. From The Graduate all the way through to his more recent films like The Birdcage, his most successful big-screen efforts tend to contain a subversive streak. Unfortunately, may of Mr. Nichols most recent films failed to live up to his own legacy, and the once storied director had become increasingly well known for being Diane Sawyer's husband. 2004's Closer finds Mr. Nichols returning to his roots by investigating modern relationships against the backdrop of London. With stellar performances, a bulletproof screenplay and skilled direction, Closer is a remarkable return to form for Mr. Nichols.

Closer follows the lives of four very different London residents as they fall in and out of love and obsession with one another. Anna (Julia Roberts) and Larry (Clive Owen) and Dan (Jude Law) and Alice (Natalie Portman) exist to experience the trials and tribulations of love, sex and heartbreak. While they all experience these emotions differently, these four vastly different Londoners share a defensive nature and an almost violent sense of self-preservation. Emotional outrage, betrayal, mind games and sexual bribery are among their additional common behaviors; when it comes to love, they experience life or death situations.

Unsurprisingly, the real draw to Closer is the film's fantastic performances. The four principal players chew up scenery as though to demand Oscar consideration. The subject matter is decidedly depressing at its best; each character exhibits the absolute worst qualities imaginable in times of romantic duress. I'm not sure if any of these people were intended to be worth rooting for, but the film's emotional honesty is as refreshing as it is shocking. That's not to say that these characters aren't at times likable; they all have qualities that are interesting and very addictive to watch - - especially in their most desperate and dramatic moments. The film seems to serve as an indictment on the absolute worst that relationships can bring out in ordinary people. Love is a battlefield, it seems. Clive Owen is the real breakthrough in Closer; had been sitting on the brink of major stardom immediately prior to its release. His scene-stealing performance is the kind of thing most actors wait a career to achieve. To watch Clive Owen in Closer, is to watch an amazing actor at the absolute peak of his abilities.

Closer is heavyweight entertainment that is intended to stir up emotions and to remind the viewer of just how screwed up life can be. It's a brilliant film and has been produced with an enormous amount of skill, but I doubt it's the kind of thing that many viewers will want to view repeatedly. Closer is very much worth seeing for its edgy and eye-opening performances, beautiful direction and, of course, Natalie Portman's scenes as a stripper. Something tells me that the last item on that list might just sell a few copies of this Blu-ray. For those of you buying for that reason, check out the movie while you are at it; you just might enjoy it.

Closer signals Mike Nichols' return to the kind of edgy and emotional filmmaking that made him famous. This is an unflinching and scathing look at the painful emotional damage done in relationships that lack maturity or respect. It's a painful film to watch at times; don't expect many laughs or romantic undercurrents. Sony has done a fine job with the Blu-ray edition of Closer. Audio and Video are both handled exceptionally well while featuring a small number of supplements. Regardless, the draw of Closerlies the film's stellar performances. It's an amazing and shocking experience that I highly recommend.

User Comment: marcosaguado from Los Angeles, USA, 15 December 2004 • What a treat. Most of the people who came with me, left, half way through the film. I stayed to the end and I loved it. It moved me. A rarity this days. The face of Jude Law is, still, so full of possibilities. He seems unafraid of darkness. Strong. This is his most grown up performance. I can't wait to see what he'll become. (If he stays away from Hollywood as much as temptations permit, and keeps that purity, that makes his darkness so powerful, as intact as humanly possible). Julia Roberts is wonderful in a performance part Margaret Sullavan, part Jeanne Moreau but all her own. Clive Owen is a force of nature. Dangerous, compelling, human to the hilt. And what about Natalie Portman? Wow. No surprise here. But what a surprise. I'm sure she is going to amaze us for years and years to come. I'm really glad I stayed to the end.

Summary: I Stayed To The End.

º º