Review of Closer (2004) by Raphael A — 19 Aug 2010

This film is beautiful, terrible, and real. Sadly, in a world where we're used to hearing stories in the simplest and most easy to swallow terms, I doubt that the average lover of romantic comedies and action flicks will like it. This is a story about the perpetual struggles found in human relationships and if you're used to seeing on-screen romance played out with operatic tragedy, (The English Patient) fable-like tenderness (Like Water for Chocolate), or perfect endings (Officer and a Gentleman), you might be out of luck with this movie. If, however, you think you'd like to see something a little more up-close, complex and real, this might be a movie that will change the way you think about love.

The story gets more and more complex and the acting is so superb that it adds a certain believability to it that would lack with a less reputable cast. Jude Law is as always sensational as a variant of his Alfie charaacter, and Natalie Portman has reached a level of maturity that was truly surprising, not to mention wearing some of the sexiest stripper outfits one can imagine. And Clive Owen is a perfect match for Jude that turns into a perfect ego cock match that creates so much delightful drama that you wonder how far they will push the edge. There are parts of the story that seem a bit far-fetched but its Hollywood baby so with this stellar cast you let a few issues like that fly because you truly are at the edge of your seat wondering how twisted these two pairs of lovers will get.