Closer

[kaitlinsnana]

Just got around to watching this one this weekend...did anyone besides me think this was nothing but huge WASTE OF TIME?

[topher]

My wife did not like it.

I actually tolerated JRO in this movie, a first for me and I liked Clive Owens performance. For me, it was okay.

I still can't get over NP's character quote about her personal smell and heaven. How do you say that line without cracking up?

[fflover]

I thought this movie sucked, but the characters weren't as unlikeable as I thought they were going to be. I think the only two that I hated was Dan and Anna, and Anna at the end didn't seem too bad.

I liked Clive Owen's performance, but Natalie Portman's performance sucked and I am surprised it got as many accolades as it did.

The lines in this movie were sometimes a little too much to bear, especially the confrontation between Clive Owen's character and Anna. I guess it is because I don't really see Julia Roberts say such X rated things.


Jude Law and his character dissapointed me in this movie. I think I am going to rent Alfie again to restore my love for Jude.

[Deleted]

I really liked this movie and I am no Mike Nichols fan (not since he broke up with Elaine May). What was that horror of a movie that he did with Harrison Ford---Regarding Henry or was it My Life in a Dog of a Movie, Arf BArf?

I agree that the weak performances in the movie were done by Jude Law (who seemed to have no clue on how to play the character although if you read his thread on this site---that is his character---slut boy and women's pantsoff charmer) and Julia Roberts (who wasn't half bad, but she just couldn't allow the audience not to like her so she kept mitigating her character's actions).

And Miss Roberts cannot tell a joke (well, we've all seen her at the Academy Awards---her life is wonderful, so why should she deprecate herself---the basis of all self humor). That scene with Mr. Owens when she is spouting off about the internet and democracy and high falutin' crap and then comes in with the punchline: "two men wanking each other off in cyberspace.". That was not painful; it was unnoticeable. It was one of those "Oh NOW I get it, that was supposed to be funny" moments, when I watched the DVD again.

I think that I read somewhere that Cate Blanchette was originally cast for this movie but she turned up pregnant and Miss Roberts stepped in---BTW---was Miss Blanchette really pregnant in The Life Aquatic?---is that where she went? The movie would have been even better with Miss Blanchette in the Anna role. She would have taken the self hate that the character felt and made it sting both ways.

The movie spoke to me---breakups and betrayals are nasty, nasty things as are the compromises that we sometimes make. The Letter (with the great Bette Davis) is often called the best movie about Sexual Hypocrisy, but I think this movie matched it or surpassed it. I don't think that you are supposed to like these characters, you are supposed to see their hypocrisy and wince at their shame or shamelessness, thank you, Mr. Owen.

Who would have done a better job with the Dan character than Mr. Law?

[colette]

Who would have done a better job with the Dan character than Mr. Law?

Anybody. Law just doesn't have the charisma to pull the role off, especially cast opposite (smoldering) Clive.

I love this movie. I bought the DVD the day it came out, and have already watched it twice. Natalie does drive me a little crazy. I think she was actually an even poorer casting choice than Law. I figured out a couple of days ago whom I would have loved to have seen in that role, and now I can't remember. It's driving me crazy.

I think Jonathan Rhys-Meyers would have been a great choice for Dan. He's actually got the charisma to stand up to Clive. Dan would have seemed less whiny and pathetic overall with Rhys-Meyers in the role, which would have made the ending even stronger I think.

[Deleted]

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Clive Owen were actually in a movie together. It's called I'll Sleep When I'm Dead and it's on DVD. Though I don't recall that they had any scenes together. They played brothers.

I read that Clive Owen played the Dan role on stage in London. Wow, I would have liked to have seen that.

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is a good choice. Colin Farrell might have been able to play the part---he's got the slime and sex part down---just bathe him. Or, that guy from the TV show, The Protector or The Litigator or whatever it was called. Simon Baker is the actor's name. He has an air of suppressed sneakiness and can convey intelligence.

[proper stranger]

I rented this last week and, in spite of (or maybe because of) the unlikeable characters, I really liked it. Clive Owen was wonderful and perfectly cast--and brilliant in his last scene with Jude/Dan. I also thought Natalie Portman was very good.

Julia Roberts was probably playing a character a lot closer to her actual self than most of the usual "Julia" characters she plays; I was happy to see her playing an unlikeable character who would not allow herself to be happy. I would have loved to see Cate Blanchett in the role, though--she would have probably brought more depth and humor to the character.

I thought Jude did well with the most unlikeable character. Dan was such a pathetic jackass.

I loved the Damien Rice song that played at the beginning and end of the movie. It was stuck in my head for a couple of days after seeing the movie.

[whistletops]

In my opinion, that song was THE BEST thing about the movie.

In fact, it might've been the only good thing about it.

Felt no sympathy for any of the characters; just couldn't relate to them at all.


The men are egotistical, jealous, sexual hypocrites.

The women couldn't allow themselves to be happy.

[colette]

The women couldn't allow themselves to be happy.

I agree that Anna wouldn't allow herself to be happy, but I actually think that Alice (although really fucked up) was trying really hard to be happy. She went for what she wanted, fought for it, but when it was ruined for her, she didn't hold on when it would have been unhealthy to hold on.

And, I'll defend Larry until I die. I like his character. I don't find anything wrong with anything he does.

I find Alice and Larry very likable characters. I hate Anna and Dan. But I thought Julia did a fantastic job, and Natalie did a crap job.

God, I love this movie.

[Deleted]

I just don't buy Natalie Portman as a stripper. Like she has said in numerous interviews, she still looks like a 13 year old, so her stripping seems very much like pedophilia to me. Her calling Mike Nichols "daddy" only adds to the creepiness.