plot twist?

Rating: 5/10 (19 July 2005)

I admit to being a Mike Nichols fan. There's been some great stuff. I loved "Wit" and "The Graduate" and even "Primary Colors." There's been some great filming and story-telling going on for just a little over 30 years from this guy, which leads me to the question: why this movie? Why "Closer?" I can't imagine wanting to spend time making a movie about a bunch of people who are unpleasant, deceptive, and just down right mean. Even though the bulk of his work is about people you wouldn't normally like, at least his past characters provide some kind of redemption for themselves. They're not just unpleasant, deceptive and mean to each other; they do this to themselves. For example, if you were Clive Owen's character and you were in love with your wife, would you have sex with a prostitute while you were away on vacation? And then would you expect her to stay after you've confessed? And even more, would you expect that you'd end up okay in the end? How 'bout Jude Law's character? Every time he meets a woman that's newer, younger, and more out of his reach, he goes for her...even if he's seeing someone else. When he meets Alice, he's living with Ruby. When he meets Anna, he's living with Alice. He's not just unhappy with these women that he spends years with, but he is apparently unhappy with himself. Oh, and how "ironic" that he happens to write obituaries. A bit cliché for my taste. He was boring, unsettling, and worthless as a character.
Then there's Anna. I imagine that Julia Roberts didn't have to do too much prep work for this role because she was already used to stealing people's beaus in real life. This one came naturally to her which begs the question how come she was such a bad actress in this film? I'm glad Cate Blanchett backed out and left this crummy role to a crummy over-rated actress. The best thing she can do is smile that "epic" smile and look goofier as the years go by. Her character is not just boring, mean, and deceptive but also disgusting. Although Clive Owen's character was a total jerk, he had it right at the end when he said that total depressives keep looking for depression. Of course, that only raises the question why he would want her back if she will inevitably leave him again for something less happy? Or is that the point? Either way, I would have dumped her, screwed her, and left her at the end. Not dump her, screw her, and then take her back. Wouldn't the best reward for her be to leave her if that's what she really wants? It sure would save you a lot of trouble if you just got rid of her before she did it to you. At least you could go out on a good note and not be the one who gets dumped.
And finally, how about Alice? Or Jane. Or whoever. If this movie was supposed to make me think chameleon or changeling, it didn't. It made me think that this is a highly commercialized movie that is trying to program the audience to believe that failure and deception is acceptable. This whole movie is an Aaron Spelling plot from 90210 because everyone sleeps with each other, hates each other, and despises themselves after all is said and done. I admit to reading a summary on IMDb half way through the movie that made me want to finish it. It said something along the lines of "wait until you see the end; you'll never see that coming." So I watched and watched and watched and when the credits rolled, I was still waiting for this magnificent ending. So what? So she goes back to New York, a failure from London who was a failure already from New York, grows long hair, looks a little prettier, maybe a little wiser, and walks down the street like a supermodel. I guess we're supposed to think she is like a well-weathered sage, a been-there-done-that kinda gal who is really self confident and has been hurt so-don't-mess-with-me-if-you're-gonna-play-mind-games. I mean, really.
Overall, I gave this movie a 5 because of Clive Owen. He's fresh enough in the market so that you haven't (yet) seen this character and meaner than everyone else in a very subversive way that makes you hope you never meet someone like him. Other than that, you can skip the rest.