words and actors fail me

Rating: 4/10 (12 February 2005)

A few home truths... Jude Law is inept at drama. He does not pull it off. Never has. Weak in Cold Mountain, very weak in this. In Alfie he was OK in the cheeky moments but the instant he had to show emotion, absolute zero! Julia Roberts is better than she has been for the majority of her career but still lacks the gravitas that someone like Julianne Moore or Nicole Kidman would've brought to the role. Clive Owen is very good but not worthy of winning the Oscar, whereas Natalie Portman excels (and will definitely walk away the Academy Award) following up her excellent performance in Garden State with another polished turn.
As a film, Closer remains a dull, pretentious and extremely fake film. Roberts' character would never fall for the loutish Owen, or indeed the spineless Law. The way Roberts and Owen meet is so implausible you can hear the audience groan. And Nicholls directs with little more flair than 'point & shoot' with his actors failing to command your attention.