Sex, Lies and a Lot of Emotional Red Tape.

Rating: Null/10 (13 January 2005)

Sensationally realized adult-themed drama that is about as subtle as a sledgehammer with its electrifying performances, magnetic direction and hard-as-nails script. In modern-day London a struggling journalist/obituary writer (Jude Law) falls in love with a young American stripper (Natalie Portman). Their relationship is thrown a curve-ball when Law meets photographer Julia Roberts. Roberts appears to not be interested and Law unwittingly gets dermatologist Clive Owen involved with her instead. Almost instantly, Roberts and Owen start a love affair of their own. However, nothing is as rosy as it appears. Law is really in lust with Roberts, Roberts is quietly obsessed with Law and Portman is coming apart at the seams emotionally as she learns about Law's true feelings. While all this occurs Owen gets caught in a pickle as well as he realizes that there is much more to Law and Roberts' relationship than meets the eye. And a short conversation between Owen and Portman may also lead to more fireworks as time goes by. Talk about lovers and other strangers. Wickedly demented chess match of wits, would-be-loves, lusts, jealousies and cruelties culminate in arguably the most brilliant and important picture of 2004. The four leads create a crazed square in a dark and bleak London landscape. Each individual performer has an earth-shattering moment and each has at least one emotional sparring match with each of the other three co-stars. Symbolism is also a key ingredient in this recipe. The occupations of the four leads being the most important of examples. Taking place briskly over a four-year period, "Closer" highlights its points with striking blows and difficult outcomes. Director Mike Nichols gets back to the wild and revolutionary film-making that shook Hollywood and the system with 1960s classics "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "The Graduate". Patrick Marber's screenplay, based on his equally potent play, is a demoralizing, cruel and mentally draining experience that paints a portrait of the lengths people will go to have what they want---the feelings and emotions of others be damned. Perfectly directed, wonderfully scripted and accurately performed, "Closer" is sure to get next to the deepest parts of your soul. 5 stars out of 5.