Movie Reviews
Here stars four of the most talented young actors of our generation: Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, and Natalie Portman. Law is Dan, a man who lives in England writing obituaries for the newspaper. Portman is Alice, a woman who has fled from New York to cut off a relationship. Roberts is Anna, a professional photographer. And Owen is Larry, a successful dermatologist. In retrospect, all of these people are charming at best and disgraceful at worst. And disgraceful would be a euphemism.
In the beginning moments, Alice and Dan are seen walking on the sidewalk. This is a slow motion shot, with dozens of people to their left and right. And we’re not sure if Dan and Alice are walking towards each other on the same side of the sidewalk, or across the street. The scene unfolds, Alice, probably confused by English traffic, steps into the street and is hit by a cab. As Dan comes racing to her side, we’re not sure if they know each other or not. Perhaps they even love each other. Perhaps not.
Then there is Anna and Larry. They meet because of Dan, who fools Larry into thinking he’s a woman on a chat room. Dan purposely has them meet in an aquarium, where, after initial embarrassment subsides, they establish a relationship. A substantial amount of time passes (which is never cemented). We find Dan and Alice still together. Dan is getting his picture taken by Anna for a cover photo on his new book – some of which is based on Alice.
Later, we find Anna and Larry still as a couple. But by now, things are already mucked up. Dan has become regretfully infatuated with Anna, and an affair begins. Larry and Alice get wind of it, and begin something of a relationship, but it’s purely flirtatious and vengeful. Even later, the relationships of these four people are found to be demolished, sometimes numerous times. Both men bed both women at some point.
There was a movie that came out earlier this year called “We Don’t Live Here Anymore”. It was similar is some respects (two couples destroyed by physical attraction), but “Closer” is much better because it’s much smarter. Its characters are brutally honest about their lies. Otherwise, many of the deceptions of opposite characters may not have ever been noticed. It’s their feeling to be absolutely honest about their faults that tear everything apart. Some of them use it to get something out of the other. Some use it just to be masochistic towards another. Both can’t possibly work, and don’t.
And while “Closer” dwells on the effects on each character, it doesn’t make them into nothing entities as “We Don’t...Anymore” did. Yes, we feel sorry for them sometimes, but we’re always aware of the highly lamentable decisions made. We’re always sure that what’s happening is very, very wrong. We’re never tricked into sympathizing with them so much that we condone them. That’s a blessing all in itself.
What really seals this film are the four immaculate performances from the four unreasonably talented performers. Law, Roberts, Owen, and Portman waste no time etching their names in the souls of their characters. They’re always on target; with every word, we are revealed just a little bit more about their true self. And as a result we understand more about them than even they do. It’s just a shame that “Closer” had to be as filthy as it is. ***