Closer in Champs Elysees

Rating: 9/10 (10 February 2005)

Somehow I lost it in Canada and US. Thank goodness for the European delays. Germany was overrated - I refuse to watch Julia Roberts dubbed in German. So, it was sheer luck to walk up the Champs Elysées in Paris and see the poster. I went in. It was a very cold day, very gray, very sad - a very "Paris day". Lunch time. The theatre was nearly empty. And then the movie starts. No, this is not one more of those feel-good Julia Roberts flicks. And yes, she still gives us enough of those gorgeous smiles aplenty. Enough to make me happy at least. But that is beyhond the point. In this movie, you see her and 3 other outstanding actors playing the theatre of life on screen. It's not the right movie for a sad day. You'll feel like committing suicide afterwards (or almost). But it is a masterpiece of human behaviour and human relationships. The dialogues are pure, and intentionally harsh. Intentionally real. The characters are intentionally sad and worthy of pity. One thinks: «oh, God, am I also like this? Does this happen in MY life?» That's the shocker. The movie is so real, so CLOSE. Masterful direction, and 4 actors who matured to do a movie with scenes of pure brilliance. A must-see. But not when you're sad. Consider yourself warned. :)