A sickening look at needy and depraved people

Rating: 4/10 (18 December 2005)

"Closer' is a four way love story that involves the characters of Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. This is was unusual in the sense that it focused much more on infidelities than it did on the relationships themselves. Nonetheless, it is rather fascinating. I don't think that in real life men are so openly grieving and express their heartache so clumsily. Being an American, I'm used to men shrugging off their feelings when they are hurt or disappointed in their women's behavior. Maybe it's an English thing? Maybe I'm different? But I found the dialog and relationships to be enthralling. Jude Law lacks perspicacity in dealing with women, but still has what it takes to earn their love. He's manipulative, but not a predator. He's just a selfish metro male who feels he can have his cake and eat it too. In the end he proves that he is weak and cannot face the consequences of his choices. Clive Owen is gruesome, sensitive, boorish and intimidating. He professes strong love to Natalie Portman after Julia Roberts leaves and rejects him. The scene in the strip parlor is a bit forced on emotion from Clive. As he expresses his pain to her, she simply plays it cool and executes her moves and routine with keen wit and style. He is like a slobbering oaf as he yearns and burns for her affection. This scene was painful to watch and I find it implausible when I heard of the outcome later, which I will not divulge or spoil for the reader. Julia Roberts has an interesting power over men by being passive. Her character was the most real. She knows she is no longer a spring chicken and willfully admits that she doesn't compare to Natalie's super petite and angelic beauty. Julia looked less glamorous here than in her usual roles. By comparison she looks like a big giraffe next to the tiny and very pretty young Portman. We know that Julia's character wasn't spiteful. If she was, she could have decked Portman with one punch. Portman's character (Alice) seems to be a focal point in everyone's fate. And the three children she saved were Jude, Julia and Clive. Whatever it was, maybe it was from themselves? From the downside of love? That final scene didn't much grab me, but rather confused me. This is involving and interesting drama for the generation x crowd. Especially, for young romantics who want to learn or study relationships from a bird's eye. I do feel that "Closer" lacked on the essence of the relationships and what the couples had consummated together. But it does focus on how people tick when it comes to infidelity and people's needs for love, affection and self esteem. I, like many of the commentators, felt depressed and sick after watching this, without knowing why. This movie will try to make you believe that relationships are hopeless, love doesn't really exist, women are conniving sluts, and men are lustful pigs incapable of any inner strength.