Director Mike Nichols is definitely onto a winner with
his latest theatrically charged film Closer. It has been six years
since Patrick Marber’s play was debuted on Broadway. Adapted for big
screen by Marber himself none of the emotional energy or heat is lost
on screen. Much like Nichols ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe’ the story
and heighten language works in both mediums and makes Closer a serious
Oscar contender.
Although this film is a love story it is not your
Bridget Jones, Pretty Woman Scene. It revolves around couples first and
last meeting, and explores the idea of falling in and out of love and
lust, questioning the way the human race functions. The language is
gritty, raw and at moments quiet risky. It has the brecktian quality of
making you laugh and feel deeply moved in the same instant (look out
for amusing internet chat scene!).
The film is aided by an all star
cast, Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen who all
put in good weighted believable performances. Law plays Dan a hopeless
writer and romantic trapped by endless ideals and Roberts the older
woman who throws a spanner into the works. However it was Portman and
Owen who particularly stood out for me and the rest of the critics so
its seems (Owen and Portman already have won Golden Globes for their
roles). Portman plays Alice a young whimsical stripper who is in an
identity crisis. She is stirring, natural and sexy and a long cry from
Queen Amidala. Owen (who had already appeared in the Westend play as
Dan – Jude Laws Character in the film) is a melting pot of emotions as
Larry a red blooded and sexual fuelled male who wants to find love and
can go from 0 to 10 in an instant.
Does the film have a flaw?
Not really it is pacy, realistic, witty, crosses boundaries and has an
art house quality making it a classy start to 2005. Accompanied by a
touching song by Damien Rice the images of Closer will stay in your
mind long after you have seen the film.
