To say that love is always pretty and perfect would be an obvious lie. Almost everybody who has fallen in love has experienced the heartbreak that can be associated with it. Hollywood, on the other hand, seems to make love appear as the always happy ending, where everything just falls perfectly into place and “ever after” is happy. Closer breaks that mold. The film is actually an adaptation of the play by Patrick Marber (who adapted it himself for the screen), and the final product is a beautiful work that highlights some of the horrors of romance.
The film follows four people in London. It opens with Alice (Natalie Portman) getting hit by a car in front of obituary-writer Danny (Jude Law). The injury is relatively minor and Danny takes Alice to the local hospital, where the two of them start discussing themselves and form a bond. We discover that Alice is a former stripper, recently arriving in London from New York (because of “boy trouble”) and Danny is an aspiring writer who hasn’t found his voice. Jump to a few months later. Danny and Alice are living together and Danny is getting his publicity shot taken for his newly finished book, which is the story of Alice. The photographer, Anna (Julia Roberts), has recently separated from her husband and spends most of her time at the London Aquarium, taking photographs of strangers. They kiss, and Danny explains that he has to see her again, but also that he can’t leave Alice. Later, Danny comes across Larry (Clive Owen) in an erotic internet chat-room. Larry is a dermatologist, and Danny inadvertently tricks him into going to the Aquarium where he meets Anna. Eventually, everybody loves everybody and everybody “s” with everybody else and everybody’s lives get dreadfully complicated.
My explanation may sound very confusing, but in reality it is not. The film has a methodical and slow pacing, but never seems to drag too much. The most confusing aspect is the actual passing of time. A year passes with a simple cut, and occasional flashbacks are used to provide more insight into a situation. As a result, the viewer needs to pay attention, but that is not hard with the characters.
The love lives of these four people provide the twist and turns for the entire film. There are no supporting characters. These four are it, and it that respect is still very “theater.” However, the characters are flawed and real enough to allow each one to effect us. Eventually you find yourself drawn towards each, realizing that all each one wants is love and happiness. But that is not always possible.
Each performer does exceptionally well. Each one gets their fair chance to play smug, desperate, affectionate, etc. Natalie Portman as the protective, observant young girl with a hard side delivers a marvelous performance. Julia, has performed better, but still does a grand job as the woman unsure of her desires. Jude Law carries Danny with a boyish charm that wins you over, but still maintains enough desperation to be realistic. And Clive Owens wins out, with some of the most powerful moments in the film. He exudes a primal but also is a logical thinker, laying everything on the line to get what he wants. The performances make the film even more watch-able.
The directing by Mike Nichols is top-notch. Beautiful sets and camera movement highlight the strong story and captivating performances. Unfortunately, the realistic horrors of love also lead into a very vulgar world. That vulgarity never seems forced though (it always seems natural in its context), but it does severely limit the appeal of this film. Despite that, the film is very good. It is definitely deeper than some of the other films out, and much more real. But it a beautiful film that highlights just how heartbreaking love can truly be.
3 ½ OUT OF FOUR STARS
Overall Summary- A different kind of film. It’s deep and powerful, but mostly it’s about love. If you are interested in a good date movie (but NOT a casual date), then it just might good for you.
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