Closer (2004)

The relationships of two couples become complicated and deceitful when the man from one couple meets the woman of the other.

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Patrick Marber (play), Patrick Marber (screenplay)

Stars:

Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 22 wins & 48 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Natalie Portman	...	Alice
Jude Law	...	Dan
Julia Roberts	...	Anna
Clive Owen	...	Larry
Nick Hobbs	...	Taxi Driver
Colin Stinton	...	Customs Officer

Storyline

Smart-but-ineffectual journalist Dan "We use euphemisms!" cannot decide between his girlfriend, loving-but-clingy waitress Alice, or his lover cold-but-intellectual photographer Anna; herself indecisive between Dan and honest-but-thuggish "You're bloody gorgeous!" doctor Larry. The film puts the four leading characters in a box and strips them apart.

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Plot Keywords:

love triangle | adultery | pubic hair | photographer | stripper | 

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Taglines:

If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sequences of graphic sexual dialogue, nudity/sexuality and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Natalie Portman and Jude Law both later joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Jude Law as Yon-Rogg.

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Goofs

When Dan hits Alice, his hand clearly does not connect with her face.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alice: Hello, stranger.

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Connections

Referenced in Jeopardy!: 2005 College Championship Quarterfinal Game 3 (2005)

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Soundtracks

Samba da Bencao
Written by Pierre Barouh, Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes
Performed by Bebel Gilberto
Courtesy of Ziriguiboom/Six Degrees Records
Under license from Crammed Discs
By Arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group

User Reviews

Rabidly Romantically Unromantic Story about Love and Other Human Frailties

Because Closer is, in a way, like sneaking a peek behind the closed doors of people we know, or more so, like looking in a mirror when we are at our most base and humanly human, some people seem to be viscerally turned off by it, as is apparent by a few of its more negative reviews.

To me, the very fact that it opens the door to such "voyeurism", if you will, is part of its deep emotional appeal.

Who among us can say we have never been tempted to be lured away from what we believe is love, by what we momentarily believe to be love? In closer, however these moments go beyond temptation, into lies, deceit, infidelity, misery, painful truths, abandonment, tears and suffering. "Love", in Closer, is shown to be against everything we've been taught to believe it should be, such as: honest/truthful, enduring, constant ... and faithful.

In short, it is a rabidly anti-romantic film, where, unbelievably, somewhere within each of these broken, self-serving, selfish, emotionally-underdeveloped people, brilliantly played by Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Clive Ovens and Natalie Portman, we find beauty, and in the end, a deep satisfaction upon seeing that love of self can lead to release and rebirth.

It had been a while since I watched this, and I am happy to say that I loved it this time around as much as the first time I laid eyes on it. And isn't that the mark of real love? That it endures?

Closer, is one of my favorite films.

9.5

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 December 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Closer

Filming Locations:

Postman's Park, Little Britain, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,707,972, 5 December 2004

Gross USA:

$33,987,757

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$115,505,027

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Inside Track 2, Aquarium Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 98 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1