"Closer" may be an adaptation, but it feels like a contrived play

Rating: 6/10 (18 March 2005)

"Closer" is based on a play which analyzes modern relationships. It's set in London and it features two Americans (played by Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman) and two Brits (Jude Law and Clive Owen). I don't know if the insistence on this particular gender and national divide possesses any significance to the overall story, but the overall story seems to be unsure of its own purpose - so in the end the question itself is questionable.
"Closer" reminds me of "Lantana," the Australian film with Barbara Hershey and Geoffrey Rush, which I think is a much better film (also based on a play, might I add). Both films deal with relationships, but while "Lantana" focuses on trust being the key to a relatively successful relationship, "Closer" takes a much more misanthropic view underlining that sometimes honesty can compromise love as well.
And even that statement is not an entirely accurate assessment of the film's purpose because "Closer" makes many jumps. Whether they be logical, psychological or temporal - I don't think the story rings as true as it was intended to. Now Mike Nichols is a phenomenal director with great films under his belt, and some great play adaptations (among them "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and the recent "Angels in America"), but "Closer" is far from his best. It's actually beautifully directed, shot and, let me tell you, full of impressive performances. Jude Law shines as always, as does his antagonist, Clive Owen who gives a particularly good performance as an honest brute. Julia Roberts surprised me as the woman for whom both Jude Law and Clive Owen's characters fall. Natalie Portman seemed miscast to me - she was incredible in "Garden State" and she has great range and talent, but in "Closer" it feels like she can't find her place.
The story is fairly simple, when it really boils down to it. Guy 1 falls for Girl 1. Then, Guy 1 falls for Girl 2, and accidentally sets up Guy 2 with Girl 2. Girl 2 and Guy 2 fall for each other, get married and Guy 1 gets jealous and leaves Girl 1, for Girl 2. Girl 2 leaves Guy 2 for Guy 1 and wackiness ensues.
The problem with all this is how profoundly contrived the entire story, the betrayals, lies, truths and the reactions to them seem. They are not realistic and rather serve to motivate the developments in the story rather than compliment them . Aside from the lack of realism (and I mean, we've all had some bad relationships - but some of the scenes in this film just don't seem to reflect what people behave like at all), it is not quite clear as to what the film tries to say. I know it suggests that by abusing people's trust we jeopardize the relationships we share with them. On the other hand, it also suggests the opposite by showing scenes where characters honestly admit to perfidies committed ending relationships as well. In "Closer" no matter what you do, your relationship is essentially doomed. The concept of "love" or "a decent relationship" (i.e. one that may still need work, like most relationships in life, but a decent one) is simply nonexistent.
Furthermore - it seems like the contrivances of the story serve to support this theme rather than reflect reality. There is a scene where a character re-enters a relationship with another character that is simply inexplicable. And the idea that the entire story revolves around only four people is far too convenient for me to accept - this isn't the story of Stevie Nicks and her shenanigans with the members of Fleetwood Mac - this is a story that purports to speak about modern relationships which, last time I heard it, sounded general, not specific.
"Closer," despite great performances and confident direction, is a play at heart, and a contrived one at that, like many plays are. It doesn't go for brutal realism (except maybe in its verbal frankness - and some of the dialogues are indeed exquisite), but for forced point-making. We're not getting the privilege to view these characters' lives for a few years - they appear before us and act out a man's idea of what relationships are like. We're not observers as much as recipients of symbolic scenes whose meaning is forced.
However, don't get me wrong. "Closer" has moments of uncanny insight and all in all holds your attention entirely for its two hour span. The problem, though, is that at the end you feel as if you've been tricked and manipulated. The film tries to conform you to its subject matter, rather than honestly portray it so that you can reflect on it.