Closer DVD > Reviews > If relationships are like this... no thanks

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Liked it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Good

Advantages:	Four great performaces, dramatic
Disadvantages:	writing, difficult to adapt to stage

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Not knowing quite what to expect as this film is not usually my cup of tea, I went to see closer at the cinema two weeks ago. With four great actors in good form and veteran director Mike Nichols at the reins, the four-play in "Closer" is unquestionably dramatic. But the film is not the powerhouse it might have been for reasons here explained.

First up, the source material. "Closer" is based on the play by Patrick Marber with Marber himself contributing the wordy screenplay. On stage, perhaps, the tightness and close-knit intimacy no doubt supported Marber's writing, and the well worked exchanges, yet on film the snappiness seems contrived, with three word sentences that merely serve to remind us that nobody talks that way, highlighting the lack of fluidity. I would like to see how it is delivered on stage

Secondly, the direction. The film takes liberties with time, unnecessarily shifting onwards on demand, complicating things almost for the sake of complication, we are never quite sure until two minutes into a scene where we are. There's a memorable scene in which Jude Law and Clive Owen's characters "meet" in that favorite of the derisive drama the Internet sex chat room that's a little small minded, it only serves as a comic aside... I did laugh

So with a less-than-stellar script and several odd directorial decisions, our quartet of top actors have their work cut out for them. Fortunately Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen deliver.

The film opens to Damien Rice's "The Blower's Daughter", (although heard just about everywhere for last 2 months, it actually worked in this instance) Dan (Jude Law) and Alice (Natalie Portman) are walking in slow-mo towards each other on a crowded London street. He's an obituarty writer and she's a red haired American stripper. They meet; they fall instantly in love. Next up Anna (Julia Roberts) is snapping Dan for a book cover (he's taken a stab at a novel with a weak title). Dan falls hard for Anna even though she's in love with Larry (Clive Owen), a dermatologist. When Larry gets wind of this he conspires to sleep with Alice in retaliation.

What follows is a ruthless story of sad, sorry people cheating on each other because they can, hurting each other because it feels (momentarily) good. Thay are mean, unlikeable characters unafraid to brutalise each other via graphic sexual language. Being a staunch anti relationship man, the pain depicted here almost put me off for life!

On the individual level, Julia Roberts puts in a thoughtful and believable turn, the glam hollywood "A" lister really does impress in a non headline role. She's the veteran, oddly enough, the glue that holds this four-character set together. It's not her very best work but she makes it look easy. The hardworking Law impresses once again, displaying a softer side to his character, and not just being the face. six films in the can in as many months people are clearly taking notice. Portman is a delight, bringing an inner maturity to the flighty Alice. And Owen does well with a truly despicable character (having played Dan on stage), The masculinity he brings to the role really overshadows the weaker character of Law

So closer as a result is a mixed bag, Strong, resilient performances weakened by the script and construct. If you have not seen it I would recommend seeing it for the performaces, if you miss it at the cinema, get it as a rental not a purchase. I recommend watching it alone or with a close friend, at all costs DO NOT watch with your partner