Spurts of entertainment in an ultimately miserable story

Rating: Null/10 (4 December 2004)

This movie is exclusively for adults, I can't see how it would appeal to anyone else.
*Spoliers ahead* All of the main characters are spineless for the exception of Larry. Although rash, Larry's character is the only truly honest person in the entire movie. While the other characters swim to find their true desires Larry never faltered or withheld like the others did (especially Dan (Law)).
Its hard for the viewer to have sympathy for such poorly developed relationships. All we are shown are the milestones each couple experiences and nothing in between. Certain things simply are not plausible when their visual presentation is omitted. The audience has no choice but to believe that Alice (Portman) used to be/is a heroine addict and that Dan went from a hackneyed obituary writer to a published author in just 2 years despite no personality/character changes whatsoever.
The heated dialogue the characters have with each other is the saving grace of the movie. This is the only time the characters seem real to me. As the movie progresses the arguments/conversations get more brutal and more honest, each time more and more truth is revealed.
The final piece is left up to the viewer who decides which character was the most deceptive. The characters are left scarred and wounded and any prolonged happiness between any of them is largely suspect.
7/10