A shameless mockery of human suffering

Rating: 2/10 (21 October 2005)

People who say that 'Closer' is an accurate depiction of love, guilt, and suffering have obviously never been anywhere near such things. The story is told through vignettes, which allow for a long period of time to pass (four years in this case) without bogging down the plot. However, such minimalism allows for almost no character development. I really don't care about any of the characters on the screen because they all seem to self-important to even see past their own noses, let alone see the other characters.
The characters offer no explanations for their actions. The scenes are cut before we can see the aftermath. What we get is a few months later, when they've had a chance to heal, a chance to forget, a chance to move on. There is no depth. There is no despair. There is only the quick release and clever dialog to avoid feeling anything.
If you want despair, watch Julianne Moore in 'The Hours,' crying in the bathroom while telling John C. Reilly that she's brushing her teeth. Natalie Portman saying, "No one will ever love you as much as I do' does little to tug at my heart strings.
'Closer' has nothing to do with love and everything to do with sex. And ultimately, sex for what it is isn't that interesting, and love is never that simple.