CLOSER
Cast: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Clive Owen, Natalie Portman...
Director: Mike Nichols
Writer: Patrick Marber
Review Date: 12/18/04
Written By: suj
Rating: 10/10
THE PLOT:
An intriguing story of passion, drama, love, and abandonment involving two couples, which only gets more complicated when the man from the first couple gets acquainted with the woman from the second coupling.
THE REVIEW:
A year or so ago I watched a great 1971 film called "Carnal Knowledge" which followed the trials and tribulations of relationships. The film directed was by Mike Nichols and tribally showed an epic battle between the sexes infused with seething anger, angst, and the messed up lives people weave in and out of. It was hands down one of the most real feeling movies I’ve ever seen as it threw out all the mushy bull-shit seen in romance flicks today and focused more on the people and how often they can be awful to one another. Now, in ‘Closer’ Nichols once again divulges himself into the world of fucked up characters and the relationships they spin.
The movie opens with Dan (Jude Law) meeting Alice (Natalie Portman) by chance one day in a crowded London street, which is all too made beautiful when backed by the Damien Rice tune - “The Blowers Daughter”. Dan’s life soon changes forever as they fall madly in love. That is, until a year later when he meets Anna (Julia Roberts) and his romantic intentions lean closer to her, but she’s involved with Larry (Clive Owen), who is extremely protective of her and is paralyzed with revulsion as he watches Anna fall into Dan’s charms. In a fit of desperation, Larry sets his sights on Alice, thus forming a dark chain of treachery and adultery that is destined to destroy everyone involved – This is simply put the basic plot of one of the best films of the year.
Written by Patrick Marber which was adapted from his very own stage play, “Closer” is about the toxicity of jealousy and the predictable insecurities of man. The dialogue is meaty and the situations ring true which at times is also often funny (see: Internet Chat Scene). The movie is not an easy sit, with the bulk of the films focus allocated to that fine line found in affairs that sits between adoration and fixation. Marber dwells into this with such ease, designing four individuals who truly can’t stand each other, yet are unable to let go. The characters are such horrible to one another, However, Marber and Nichols stay true to their rancid relationship view, never once allowing a moment of sympathy to creep in, icily keeping the characters committed to their selfishness all the way to the end. There are no warm hugs at the conclusion of this tale, and that is delightful. By keeping the film sinister and honest, Nichols can further explore the themes of obsession that make up the four walls of the film. He directs skillfully and sparingly, maintaining the focus on Marber’s static and highly theatrical, yet searing words of romantic spite. It’s all just dazzling material, written with such edge and splashed with grand proportions of truth that it reminds me of Neil Labute’s ‘The Shape of Things’. In retrospect the two films and or plays are quite alike and that maybe the reason why I love both films.
The four leads who are all cast against type shell out some brilliant performances. While Law and Roberts both act with poise and fearlessness, the real praise should be reserved for Owen and Portman. Owen, here is an emotional dragon, clomping around in fits of random protectiveness and ferocious resentment. Owen is at the top of his game here and you can see it flurish on screen when Larry, seething with rage, slowly comprehends the sexual square dance that is happening in front of his eyes. The scene portraying a mental Mexican standoff between him and Alice in a private dance room at her strip club just brings an icy chill to ones spine. If the academy doesn’t lay down a nomination for this cat there is definitely something wrong in the world. Now, Portman's character is one not willing to indulge true intimacy for fear of collapse. Natalie’s Alice is a worldly soul who has seen enough obsession in her life for two people; a child thrust into adulthood, struggling to compete with the affected adults that surround and desire her. Alice demands distance, allure and a certain sexual posture, and Portman manages to capture it all.
’Closer’ is not a film easily dismissed or forgotten as it is a dangerous, honest film that cuts deeply with its collage of romantic idealism, cancerous suspicion, and perfect performances.
Director: Mike Nichols
Writer: Patrick Marber
Review Date: 12/18/04
Written By: suj
Rating: 10/10
THE PLOT:
An intriguing story of passion, drama, love, and abandonment involving two couples, which only gets more complicated when the man from the first couple gets acquainted with the woman from the second coupling.
THE REVIEW:
A year or so ago I watched a great 1971 film called "Carnal Knowledge" which followed the trials and tribulations of relationships. The film directed was by Mike Nichols and tribally showed an epic battle between the sexes infused with seething anger, angst, and the messed up lives people weave in and out of. It was hands down one of the most real feeling movies I’ve ever seen as it threw out all the mushy bull-shit seen in romance flicks today and focused more on the people and how often they can be awful to one another. Now, in ‘Closer’ Nichols once again divulges himself into the world of fucked up characters and the relationships they spin.
The movie opens with Dan (Jude Law) meeting Alice (Natalie Portman) by chance one day in a crowded London street, which is all too made beautiful when backed by the Damien Rice tune - “The Blowers Daughter”. Dan’s life soon changes forever as they fall madly in love. That is, until a year later when he meets Anna (Julia Roberts) and his romantic intentions lean closer to her, but she’s involved with Larry (Clive Owen), who is extremely protective of her and is paralyzed with revulsion as he watches Anna fall into Dan’s charms. In a fit of desperation, Larry sets his sights on Alice, thus forming a dark chain of treachery and adultery that is destined to destroy everyone involved – This is simply put the basic plot of one of the best films of the year.
Written by Patrick Marber which was adapted from his very own stage play, “Closer” is about the toxicity of jealousy and the predictable insecurities of man. The dialogue is meaty and the situations ring true which at times is also often funny (see: Internet Chat Scene). The movie is not an easy sit, with the bulk of the films focus allocated to that fine line found in affairs that sits between adoration and fixation. Marber dwells into this with such ease, designing four individuals who truly can’t stand each other, yet are unable to let go. The characters are such horrible to one another, However, Marber and Nichols stay true to their rancid relationship view, never once allowing a moment of sympathy to creep in, icily keeping the characters committed to their selfishness all the way to the end. There are no warm hugs at the conclusion of this tale, and that is delightful. By keeping the film sinister and honest, Nichols can further explore the themes of obsession that make up the four walls of the film. He directs skillfully and sparingly, maintaining the focus on Marber’s static and highly theatrical, yet searing words of romantic spite. It’s all just dazzling material, written with such edge and splashed with grand proportions of truth that it reminds me of Neil Labute’s ‘The Shape of Things’. In retrospect the two films and or plays are quite alike and that maybe the reason why I love both films.
The four leads who are all cast against type shell out some brilliant performances. While Law and Roberts both act with poise and fearlessness, the real praise should be reserved for Owen and Portman. Owen, here is an emotional dragon, clomping around in fits of random protectiveness and ferocious resentment. Owen is at the top of his game here and you can see it flurish on screen when Larry, seething with rage, slowly comprehends the sexual square dance that is happening in front of his eyes. The scene portraying a mental Mexican standoff between him and Alice in a private dance room at her strip club just brings an icy chill to ones spine. If the academy doesn’t lay down a nomination for this cat there is definitely something wrong in the world. Now, Portman's character is one not willing to indulge true intimacy for fear of collapse. Natalie’s Alice is a worldly soul who has seen enough obsession in her life for two people; a child thrust into adulthood, struggling to compete with the affected adults that surround and desire her. Alice demands distance, allure and a certain sexual posture, and Portman manages to capture it all.
’Closer’ is not a film easily dismissed or forgotten as it is a dangerous, honest film that cuts deeply with its collage of romantic idealism, cancerous suspicion, and perfect performances.
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