Closer...a decent movie with extraordinary performances

Rating: 8/10 (14 February 2005)

I hate to be unoriginal and jump on the recently occurring Clive Owen bandwagon..but after seeing this film I am really hooked on the guy. While Julia Roberts and Jude Law (the so-called stars of the film) were decent, I think what shocked me most about their characters was how unlikable they were. I left the theater simply hating Roberts and Law and I respect them more for it. Clive Owen and Natalie Portman, on the other hand, were extraordinary.Even when their characters failed to be likable in the traditional sense, they won my heart with their complexity,sincerity, and wit. Clive Owen's performance is a treat for audiences who have long been awaiting something that adequately displays his talent. I've always been under the impression that Natalie Portman was over-rated (esp. after she was dubbed by some as the next Audrey Hepburn) while I still think that she is no Hepburn, I am willing to admit that she has talent. Sure the screenplay was often over the top and unrealistic, but Closer is entertaining and well worth seeing despite its faults. I think that if you walk in with an open mind and you are willing to be shocked by some vulgar language and overtly sexual material you are going to enjoy yourself.