CHAMP'S REVIEW OF:
CLOSER

OPENING THOUGHTS

    This movie was emotionally intense. It's especially intense when you're fiancee is sitting there next to you (along with Hefe and G Baby), and the movie is all about sex, cheating, and lying. It's the kind of movie where when something risqué happens, you snicker inside, gulp it down, then look slyly over at your fiancee to make sure she didn't see it. You can't decide if you should laugh, or decide that it may be safer not to react at all. Luckily, my fiancee doesn't get pissed when a naked woman comes on screen, or sex talk is discussed. It goes to show, I picked a real winner!

ACTING

    JUDE LAW plays Dan, a writer who picks up Natalie Portman's character Alice, after she's struck by a car. I'm not really going to discuss anymore of the characters involvement in the plot line, because it's too damn complicated, and it would make more sense if you saw the movie anyway. Anyway, Jude Law is a great actor, in my opinion. He always picks fairly diverse roles, and he nails them on the head pretty much every time. He does a great job portraying a hopeless romantic, who thinks he knows what love is, when in reality, he has no idea.
    NATALIE PORTMAN plays Alice, an ex-stripper who gets caught up with Law then looses him later to Julia Roberts. She then returns to her stripping career in one of the most provocative roles I've ever seen her in. She's good. Really good. Not in the sense that she's half-naked, but in the fact that she's got some great acting chops! Natalie Portman has turned out to be a great little actress, and I'm looking forward to seeing which roles she picks next.
    JULIA ROBERTS plays a photographer named Anna who doesn't know what the hell she wants. She's content in being miserable. She does an okay job of acting, but I don't think she should be the woman that all the men pine for in a movie. I for one, would never fight over Julia Roberts. She's older, and I've only found her attractive in Pretty Woman... and maybe Hook. See! She's not that hot.
    CLIVE OWEN plays Larry, a dermatologist who kind of stumbles into Julia Roberts and develops a relationship with her. I like Clive. He does well here, and if you want to see him in his breakout, James Bondish role, rent Croupier. Very indie flick, but it's cool to see where he started out at.

DIRECTION AND SCRIPT

    MIKE NICHOLS directed the film, and it's simplicity and focus on characters helps this film a lot. It's based on a play, and it kind of feels like a play at times, but I don't think this movie would work any other way. Actually, I don't think it's possible to do it any other way. Say, for instance, if there were pandas in it. It wouldn't work.
    PATRICK MARBER wrote the screenplay based on his play, and this guy is the true magic behind this movie. The dialog, how he portrays time passing, the character interaction and emotion, all makes you feel as if you're watching the inner workings of someone's relationship. It's uncomfortable at times, it's sad, and sometimes pathetic. It's how life is, and Marber does a great job of capturing the realness that is in his screenplay.

THE VERDICT

    I think anyone who's in a relationship, who's had a relationship, who's been cheated on, or desires insight to destructive characters, should watch this movie. It kept my attention, and it's a bit slow in the beginning, but remember that you're just getting to know everyone before things begin to unfold. Don't watch this movie if you don't like to watch people talking, because that's all this is. Lots of dialogue, with characters. It's mostly sex-related dialog, so that may help, but in the end, you'll probably be pissed, 'cause "Portman didn't show her titties".
 
 

RATING: B

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