Not so close

Rating: Null/10 (13 December 2004)

This movie is chock full of the least likable characters in recent memory. Julia Roberts and Jude Law have less than 0 chemistry. I have never been a fan of JR but, her acting in this surpasses the appalling. She is terrible.
That said, Clive Owen is an excellent reason to see this movie. He is gorgeous and alive, carrying every other pitiful performance of this film. He did the rest of the cast a great service.
The dialogue was good, and I would definitely see the play, it just wasn't carried off by NP, JR and JL who all pranced around like mediocre hacks. I have really liked Jude Law in the past so this was quite a disappointment.
This movie did instigate a good conversation afterward, but not particularly about the subject matter. Mostly about who would have been better in the role of Anna (Answer: almost anybody). Mike Nichols and the writer did a great job however, making a movie mostly about sex without patronizing us with the obligatory sex scenes usually found in movies like this.
Rent it.