Closer reviews

[Geofferson]

Ebert's 4-star(!) review here (http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041202/REVIEWS/41116004/1023).

FilmJerk's A- review here (http://www.filmjerk.com/new/article-1121--0-0.html)

Rolling Stone's 3 1/2-star review here (http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/_/id/6132294?pageid=rs.Reviews&pageregion=triple2).

EW's B- review here (http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/movie/0,6115,845098_1_0_,00.html).

[QuikSilver]

I will be watching this movie this weekend and hope it will be good as the reviews say they are.

[DonnachaOne]

Cue the barrage of "I'll wait for the director's cut, not this CEN$ORED version" from posters who just wanna see Natalie nude...

[BassDude]

My local paper gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Didn't read the entire review, but I am looking forward to seeing it. Maybe next weekend.

[Geofferson]

Originally posted by BassDude
but I am looking forward to seeing it. Maybe next weekend.
I'm shooting for next weekend as well since I won't be able to this weekend.

[Sessa17]

I saw this last week. It's an OK movie with 2 great performances that make the movie worhwhile.

Clive Owen steals the movie. I've been raving about this guy here for years with constant post of people saying they never heard of him, hopefully this will be his breakout movie. His character is like a shark, he is vicous. There is wonderful scene where he leaves Jude Law's character in tears.

And Natalie Portman is just captivating in the movie. I think the movie really shows just how overrated Roberts & Law are. Two actors who just rely so heavily on their pretty faces but are always dull & boring in their screen presence. I've always joked that Jude Law is the most feminine actress in Hollywood.

[Frank TJ Mackey]

Yeah, Clive Owen is great in everything. He's the only reason I'll see the Arthur dir. cut.

Why is "Closer" only opening on 400 screens or so? Please tell me it will be expanding.

Our crap theater will get 3 copies of Blade 3 and none of "Closer" grrr. Sucks.

[Tarnower]

Just got back from a screening. Gotta say, I really hated this film. In fact, I hated this with a passion! Pretentious, vile and uninvolving only begin to describe the picture. I am shocked that Mike Nichols was responsible for it. The film is too stage-bound, contains ridiculously overheated dialogue (real people just don't talk like this, sorry), and is overly crude with its language. I think it's one of the worst films I've seen all year. Freakin' film critics giving this such high ratings boggles my mind.

However, with that said, I do have to agree that Natalie Portman makes a very strong impression, as does Clive Owen. I expect both will be nominated for Supporting Oscars. And I also did admire the song which begins and end the film. Other than that, the film was dreadful. I'm talking "The Hours"-kinda dreadful.

[Patman]

"Closer" is a story on how the lives of 4 people intersecting in the oddest ways to produce heartache and lust in the various straight pairings that occurs between them all. The backdrop of the setting being London never quite overshadows the core of the story, but adds a bit of flavor (and thankfully doesn't dredge up any memories of Notting Hill).

The screenplay was very tight, always moving forward, almost at too quick a pace, the dialogue was as sharp as it needed to be to propel the plot along briskly. Mike Nichols does a good job directing not only the material, but the actors as well. He's on quite a roll this year (the other good effort for him being "Angels in America" on HBO).

The performances by the 4 principal actors (Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Julia Roberts, and Clive Owens) were all up to the task of the material, but I think I'd give the edge to Clive Owen in the acting category for this film over his cohorts, he is what his character is, with not much "star" baggage and, boy, does he live up to the "all's fair in love and war" motto.

Yes, for fans of Natalie, this film represent a departure from her earlier work, with a more brazen adult role in terms of occupation (stripper) while still holding on to an emotionally immature outlook on love and life that fits with her character's age.

Julia Roberts didn't annoy me as much, though her character is internally and emotionally messy. Jude Law's charm helps glide his character through the film, but his self-destructive romantic side gets the better of him all throughout the film.

Anyhow, a good flick that is hard to look away from because it is like a shark, always moving forward, damn the consequences.

I give it 3.5 stars, or a grade of B+.

[onebyone]

I want to see this terribly. I hope it expands next weekend. It has to expand, right?

[Sierra Disc]

This is the kind of movie people either love or hate with a passion judging from the varius message boards I've seen...

[Dr. DVD]

I am thinking of seeing either this or Finding Neverland this afternoon. I will probably see this one as it has an earlier showing and will get out sooner, but was wondering if I should opt. for Neverland instead.

[Frank TJ Mackey]

Closer will be expanding nationwide on December 10. Apparently, according to B.O. Mojo, Dec. 3 was only a limited release.


Finding Neverland is really good, you wouldn't lose out by checking that one out first.

[Third Baseman]

Can't wait to get the time to see this.

[Dr. DVD]

Closer will be expanding nationwide on December 10. Apparently, according to B.O. Mojo, Dec. 3 was only a limited release.


Finding Neverland is really good, you wouldn't lose out by checking that one out first.


I would, but it is playing too late for me to catch it this afternoon. I am sure my area will keep it playing for a while though.

[movielib]

I'm having a hard time deciding whether I think this is a great ****/**** film or a good ***/**** film. I found it very involving most of the time but with jarring transitions that took a little time to recover one's bearings. But that's how I'm sure it's supposed to be. I found the dialog smart and crisp but a little too smart and crisp to be realistic. But I'm sure that's how it's supposed to be. There's a stylization in the dialog that's not as distinct or as unusual as, say, Mamet, but is quite enjoyable once one gets in the rhythm.

I agree with those who are praising Owen's and Portman's performances but I think Roberts stays with them all the way (and that surprised me somewhat). I think her performance is being underrated by many here. I have to say Law is probably the weak link here but that could very well be because his character is the weakest of the four as a child who hasn't really grown up to the adult (albeit sort of sick) world the others inhabit (although he's just as "sick" in a more childish way). It's difficult to pull off and I don't think he quite succeeds.

So until I see it again (and I want to), I'm giving it ***½/****.

[movielib]

Closer will be expanding nationwide on December 10. Apparently, according to B.O. Mojo, Dec. 3 was only a limited release.

Finding Neverland is really good, you wouldn't lose out by checking that one out first.
Closer is playing here in Madison but we haven't gotten Finding Neverland yet. :hscratch:

[Dr. DVD]

Closer is playing here in Madison but we haven't gotten Finding Neverland yet. :hscratch:


Odd...Knoxville has both of them, but a lot of places don't.


Saw it. I am pretty much in the same boat as movielib. I will probably just give it ***/**** for now until I have more time to think about it. I could tell it was previously a play, as it was composed almost entirely of dialogue and little else. The script was sharp, if not a bit vulgar, and the acting was great from everyone involved. However, after it was all over I felt like asking the question: "Your point being?" to Mike Nichols. It seems as though the movie had no real purpose other than to point out that relationships are rough and life really sucks sometimes. Really? I did not know that! ;)


That said, I hope both Portman and Owen get noms. for their work, and at least one them deserves to win IMO. If nothing else, this movie showed me two things: 1) Owen definitely has the foreboding yet sauve presence to play James Bond and 2) George Lucas truly is a horrible director of actors, as it is now obvious that Ms. Portman can hold her own and be amazing with the right material.

[SPiRAL]

I thought it was good. I like the fact that we only the juicy bits of both relationships. Some of the dialouge (sp) reminded me of Eyes Wide Shut.

[Third Baseman]

I loved it. Not sure which number it'll take on my list, but it does recieve 4 and a half stars from me. Also, for those who can catch "Finding Neverland", or "Stage Beauty" starring Billy Crudup, do so!

[riley_dude]

I am looking forward to this movie too. The review I read in the San Francisco Chronicle said that Julia brings the movie down with her performance and that everyone else is great. But for anyone who has seen it, is it a real downer???

[Josh H]

Glad to see most have liked this, I'm planning on catching it tonight now.

[rkndkn]

Saw it this weekend, and my initial impression was a B-. As mentioned above, I kept thinking that real people don't talk this way. I've seen some people comment that they didn't feel very good when leaving the theatre -- it's not exactly a feel-good holiday film. But I enjoy films about manipulative, vindictive, deceitful people -- that's real life.

As I've pondered the film the last few days, I find myself liking it more.

[Josh H]

I really enjoyed this. Probably an A- for me. All the performance were great. I even though Jude Law as excellent. He was the "weakest" of the three, but I think it was more just his character was the least likable of the three, rather than anything to do with his acting. I'll be able to judge that better in repeat viewings.

[Drop]

Saw this last night, and thought it was great. I guess I enjoyed it, not in the way one would enjoy something like a comedy, but it made me think and that I appreciate. It's certainly a movie I'll think about for a while, and eagerly anticipate seeing again.

This is kind of hard to explain, but this movie seemed like the first movie that the average older teens can appreciate as a movie for adults, because they are adults now. I'm 19 and I saw it with people very close to my age, and everyone liked it. That shocked me; it wasn't a dumb movie, it relied on talk and there were no car explosions, yet everyone was wrapped up in it. It had just enough humour to balance out the hard and sick and heavy "bad" emotions. What I'm trying to say is that people my age can appreciate this as the adults they are, or are becoming, and not as the teenagers anymore, and I think that's great.

[BassDude]

Finally got to see it this weekend. Loved it! It's between Ray and Closer for my fav film of 2004 thus far. (But many more on the way.)

I had a couple next to me say it was slow and boring, and I saw two couples walk out. So I think it is/will be a polarizing "love it/hate it" type of film.

The dialog was brilliant! I hope the script is included on the DVD.

[Southside]

I thought the film was good; better than a lot of the stuff that is out there. That said, there was nothing "fantastic" about this movie - no special effects, outrageous plot lines, high flying stunts, but ultimately that is what made this film good. It deals with people like me and you and the relationships they are in (sometimes exaggerated). The core of the movie was how people react to what life gives you and each of the performers pull it off. I was shocked that I could watch Julia Roberts in this film and that she was actually playing this character as opposed to being the romantic comedy - I-am-playing-the-same-character-over-and-over.
Also, while watching the film, I felt like this could be a great play and then my girlfriend pointed out that this was a play and adapted for the screen, which makes a lot of sense.

[Frank TJ Mackey]

It took me forever, but I finally got to see Closer.

It was definitely worth the wait. Clive Owen & Natalie Portman (as others have said are outstanding).

The dialogue is first-rate, even if it's not exactly how "normal" people talk. This is definitely more of a filmed stage play, and fans of other Julia Roberts' movies probably won't like it.

There is not much of a plot, the ending doesn't really pay off, and the character's are mostly unlikable as**oles.

But, it sure is fun to watch them tangle for an hour and 40 minutes.

BTW - this film has some of the most crude sexual dialogue you'll ever hear in a so-called mainstream motion picture. I can totally understand why the studio never let this go much beyond 1,000 theatres.

***1/2 out of ****


check out Damien Rice's amazing song "The Blower's Daughter" (which opens and closes the film) here:
http://www.warnerbrosrecords.com/damienrice/

[QuikSilver]

Damien Rice's song "The Blower's Daughter" is indeed amazing. The song fits perfectly with the movie. Clive Owen & Natalie Portman surely make this film good but I just can't believe that they did not get nominated for the SAG awards, which is voted by their acting peers.

[Frank TJ Mackey]

Nice to see Clive Owen and Natalie Portman both win Golden Globes for "Closer."
Hopefully, more people will get to check it out on DVD. :)

[Geofferson]

I finally saw this movie last night and agree with Frank TJ Mackey's comments for the most part. Felt like a play, but a good one at that. Great performances from all the characters, even though they were not very likeable. At first I was disappointed when Clive Owen won the GG, but now I see why...he did a fantastic job. 3 1/2 / 4 stars.

[Rivero]

Not a whole lot of people are mentioning Jude Law and (gulp) Julia Roberts' work in this movie. IMO they both did a hell of a whole lot better in their roles than Portman did. Portman was never truly convincing in the stripper scenes and her last scene with Law in the motel room is downright pathetic.

Owen rules all, however. Best acting in the film and deserving of his upcoming Oscar nom.

[Geofferson]

Jude Law did a solid job. However, he's always good. I felt his best work this year was in Alfie though. As for Roberts...I'm typically not a fan of hers. However, this was her best role in years, IMO.

[ianholm]

Looking forward to catching this on DVD.

[Ketamine]

I guess I am in the camp that it was good, but not great. Also agree that Owen and Portman were excellent in this film. Thought the acting overall was very good. It just seemed to be missing something to make me really like it and want to watch it over and over again (aside from the Portman stripper scene).

[Big Worms]

I just saw this movie over the weekend. I thought the acting was very, very good. But I have to agree with Ketamine that the movie seemed to be missing something to make it a great movie. I would probably say B- for the movie.

[pdutta2000]

I just saw this movie over the weekend. I thought the acting was very, very good. But I have to agree with Ketamine that the movie seemed to be missing something to make it a great movie. I would probably say B- for the movie.

I actually saw it for the first time this past weekend as well. I liked it but can't say that I'm going to rush out and tell people they have to see it (like I did with Ray and Hotel Rwanda).

[RocShemp]

I really like this film. It's well directed and has very solid performances. But the one thing that bugs me is the dialogue. I don't mean because it's not exactly how real people talk but because all the characters sound the same. Maybe this was intential but it really bugged the crap out of me that you could shuffle the dialogue amongst the characters and nothing would seem amiss. They just didn't seem like four individuals colliding but rather one person having a four way introspection with himself.

Still, it's a really good film and more people should check it out. And Clive Owen's first scene was histerical. :lol:

[Trigger]

Just saw this last night... I thought it was okay... the performances were good, but it was too obvious that its source was a play. I enjoyed some of the melodramatic dialogue, but it lacked that certain cinematic realism.

The film was aimed at showing love in transition and cut out all the day-to-day stuff and the moments that demonstrate their love for each other. I think this was the biggest problem really... there wasn't much to show the audience that "the juice was worth the squeeze". A film can be a bummer while showing people being happy. In fact, it can make the bummer part more effective. Showing people as being good in a relationship goes a long way towards getting the audience to give a shit about the characters when they fuck up their own lives. This film didn't have enough of that - showing the characters doing something right... only a taste - so I didn't find that I cared that much that they were emotionally retarded and had corrupt value systems.

Overall I'd give it a 6/10

[riley_dude]

Add another to OK column. I had high hopes for this. The performances were good but I didnt really care for the characters. I was thinking that they might have learned something as the film went along but they just kept repeating their mistakes.

[Trigger]

Add another to OK column. I had high hopes for this. The performances were good but I didnt really care for the characters. I was thinking that they might have learned something as the film went along but they just kept repeating their mistakes.
right - and any hope I had that Jude Law's character would somehow redeem himself flew out the window when he turned into a big ***** and cried in front of Owen. At that point I was hoping all four of them would be consumed by a big fireball.

Law - cheating fuck and a sissy and a failure as a writer and human being.
Roberts - cheating fuck who didn't deserve any of the adoration she was getting.
Owen - just a prick and a pervert - somewhat of a loser, but oddly enough came out on top of the group.
Portman - fucking liar. She was cute, but so what? She's a liar and doesn't deserve to be happy.

[Josh H]

I think one caveat of this film is you have to be able to enjoy charcter studies in which the characters are not likable at all.

Many people can't do that, and it seems to be a main reason cited for not liking films like Closer and Sideways.

[Dr. DVD]

right - and any hope I had that Jude Law's character would somehow redeem himself flew out the window when he turned into a big ***** and cried in front of Owen. At that point I was hoping all four of them would be consumed by a big fireball.

Law - cheating fuck and a sissy and a failure as a writer and human being.
Roberts - cheating fuck who didn't deserve any of the adoration she was getting.
Owen - just a prick and a pervert - somewhat of a loser, but oddly enough came out on top of the group.
Portman - fucking liar. She was cute, but so what? She's a liar and doesn't deserve to be happy.



One should never let personal morals get in the way when reviewing a movie.

[Trigger]

One should never let personal morals get in the way when reviewing a movie.
who doesn't?

[Jericho]

I really liked the movie, although the end with Portman's character justs seemed kinda weird. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising considering some of the things she said through out the film and what we know about it, but she actually came across as the most likable until the end (Actually Owen's character was likeable, he just had a bit odd alternate sexual tastes...)

[riley_dude]

I think one caveat of this film is you have to be able to enjoy charcter studies in which the characters are not likable at all.

Many people can't do that, and it seems to be a main reason cited for not liking films like Closer and Sideways.
I dont mind characters that are flawed or not always likeable but at least show me or tell me, even in a sentence, why they seem to be like that. This film didnt.
Another example of this is the Mother in Upside of Anger. Hated her too. Did they show why she treated her daughters nasty all the time. Nope.

[Sierra Disc]

Do the unlikable people you meet in real life tell you why they're such a**holes? No, they don't always, so i don't see why people demand that fictional characters always tie life into nice and easy bows when it's not always like that. I enjoyed "Closer" even if the characters weren't likable, and that doesn't affect my enjoyment of their story.

[island007]

Excellent movie, I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Portman and Owen are top-notch.

[Josh H]

Exactly Sierra Disc.

Some people are just assholes. There doesn't have to be a reason for it.

Closer is a study of a messed up love triangle with selfish, flawed people.

It's a study of the situation, not really of the characters, hence the lack of character development.

Though I'm certainly not ripping anyone that didn't care for it. Movies are 100% subjective and I can see why many don't like Closer.

[mattressman]

I thought this film was amazing. Closer satisfied me in a way that few movies do. By far one of the best I've seen this year. I thought the dialogue was all incredibly poignant and effective. I could relate many of the arguments and situations to my own experiences due to the realism of the confrontations. It was undeniably clever and very funny at times, making this such an enjoyable rush of a movie. The script was very well carried by an excellent cast at their best here, I couldn't help but feel that their own feelings were in every scene.

In conclusion, I thought it was fantastic (if you hadn't already figured that out :P).

[Daniel-A]

Devil's Advocate checking in. I couldn't stand the movie. I watched it and in the end I just thought "So what?" The acting was great (well ROberts was lacking), but who cares if the movie wasn't good. I was really looking forward to this movie, too. The forums got me overhyped, aside from seeing Natalie Portman in the strip club I didn't enjoy any of it. It was jumpy, and in the end just boring.

:awaits the beration (word?) of the masses:

[PopcornTreeCt]

Probably my 2nd favorite movie of last year (my first being Garden State) The movie was just GREAT plain and simple. I may be a little bias because I love dialogue more than any other feature of a movie. I think everyone acted perfectly. It was often hilarious at times and sad at others. Quite simply a refreshing film in a time of crap.

[DonnachaOne]

I loved it.

This is my new avatar over at ViewAskew.com...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y149/Donnacha/Closer.gif

[tasha99]

I loved it too, but I tend to like dialogue that isn't quite real though (does anyone really talk like they do on Buffy or The Gilmore Girls? I don't think so, but clever, overworked dialogue can be fun). I especially loved the part in DonnachaOne's avatar.