Closer DVD > Reviews > How Close?

Author's product rating:   

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

Advantages:	Good cast, interesting characters, good dark humour
Disadvantages:	Not a typical love story, no real purpose to the film

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I went to the cinema with my girlfriend to see this as we had both seen the trailer which looked pretty good and I like several of the actors so expected an enjoyable film.

Directed by Mike Nichols the all-star cast includes Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen to play the four leads. Jude Law plays Dan an obituary journalist and failed writer. The movie begins with a chance encounter with Alice (Portman) who has fled her life in New York and settled in London. After this memorable encounter Dan and Alice fall in love. Then we are introduced to Anna (Roberts) who is an acclaimed photographer who Dan (Law) falls in love with and Larry (Owen) a dermatologist who is tricked into meeting Anna when Dan pretends to be Anna on an internet chatroom in a rather funny if explicit scene. The rest of the film is then a mixup of moments happening in their intertwinned lives and flashbacks to moments from their pasts which is quite well done as the story doesn't get confusing.

Now I have to say that I did enjoy Closer but I feal the film was lacking in several areas and that it could have been better but this is probably due to the fact that I went to see it expecting a slightly dark romantic comedy and it was nothing like what I expected with it being more based on pure lust than love which is not a bad thing but if you are like me and enjoy romantic comedies then this is probably not for you as its dark nature could be too much for some.

One problem I had with the film was that I left the cinema wondering what the purpose of it was but not all movies should have a purpose and I still enjoyed it and the acting was very good although this was probably helped by the fact I am a fan of Jude, Natalie and Julia. I have to say Clive Owen's performance was good to and his portrayal of Larry a rather heartless man who doesn't make love but f**ks and has a bad attitude towards women was enjoyable to watch especially in scenes with him and Jude as they have a mutual hatred of each other for loving the same woman and there is a certain cemistry between them as they have some of the best moments in the film.

Natalie's performance as Alice a needy girl desperately in love with Dan (Law) was very good and I geniunely fealt sorry for her character as her heart is broken when she finds that Dan is in love with Anna (Roberts) but her love for him is so bad that she can't bare to be without him.

The character Anna (Roberts) I found was something very different for Julia to play and even though I think she is a very good actress I am not sure it was the right role for her even though her performance was very good I just think that most of the cinema audience will find it hard to associate her with such a different character to what she normally plays and fans of Julia will probably be dissapointed because this is not her usual film and when I was leaving the cinema I overheard three women complaining about her role in the film and that it was just not the right part for her.

The soundtrack is nothing more than The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice which is used in the opening scene when Dan and Alice's eyes first meet and also in the closing credits but I fealt it was a very well chosen song and I am a fan of Damien Rice and love his album.

In closing I would say that if you have an open mind and are not put off by films based around love, passion and heartbreak I would recommend to see Closer but do not expect a great movie but one that is enjoyable and well acted that doesn't really serve a purpose but has some very good dark humour and is quite different to other films in its genre.

Director: Mike Nichols

Starring: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Nick Hobbs, Colin Stinton

Running Time: 104 minutes

UK BBFC rating: 15