Closer (2004)
Wow! What a year Mike Nichols is
having. His amazing miniseries "Angels in America"
is a huge success and wins numerous deserved Emmys.
And then he releases his most verbose and psychologically
charged film since his 1966 debut, "Who's Afraid of
Virginia Woolf." With his artistic and poetic miniseries
and this new theatrical film, Nichols again moves
to the forefront of the list of directors whose work
can be taken very seriously. He is one of the few
who refuses to simply entertain his audience and instead
insisting on challenging and respecting them. Nichols
deserves every honor that is bestowed upon him this
year.
"Closer" is in intense, intriguing,
verbose and perplexing film. It tells the intertwining
stories of four people, two male, two female, who
all find their lives intersecting with one and other
and unraveling at one time or another as well. Each
character has at least one important scenes with their
three co-stars and the movie's frank and bold exploration
of the male/female dynamic in sexual relationships
leads to quite an interesting story to watch unfold.
There is Alice (Natalie Portman),
a young American girl in London who meets up with
failed writer Dan (Jude Law). The two quickly move
in together. Dan meets the somewhat older photographer
Anna (Julia Roberts), also an American living in London,
and wants to begin an affair with her. When she demurs,
he secretly sets her up with Larry (Clive Owen), a
doctor who looks for love in Internet chat rooms.
Through the course of the film, there will be much
infidelity, abandonment and betrayal between all four
of the characters.
The film is based on a play by Patrick
Marber (who also scripts here) and its talky nature
indicates such an origin. But this is much more than
a play lensed by a camera. Nichols creates extraordinary
visuals including the bookends of the film featuring
slow-motion images and a mind-blowing song called
"The Blower's Daughter" by someone named Damien Rice.
These scenes are fantastic and Nichols, especially
at the beginning of the film, is fearless is in his
vision. This opening starts us off slowly and settles
us into the film. It's a deceptive lull that only
serves to prove just how brave and astonishing the
rest of the film will be.
To be sure, the script here is adult
and sexually-charged. Part of the curiosity surrounding
the film is the hype of the obscenity filled dialogue
being mouthed by the queen of cuteness, Julia Roberts.
At first it seems like Roberts will be the only one
in the cast who skirts the profanities and vulgar
terms for sexual organs and actions but this is a
facade. In the most heated and intense moment of the
proceedings, it is Roberts who devastates most with
her frankness and her adult language.
It is important to note to that
not one sexual liaison in the film happens on screen.
For while this film would seem to be about sex, it
is actually about all the emotions, actions, foreplay
and afterthoughts that surround the act. There is
flirting and fighting here, even some kissing and
some stripping, but the sexual act remains from our
site. Sex isn't shown. But it is what everyone is
talking about. This is important because, at its heart,
the film's main theme is frustration and to deny us
entree into the sexual act here is key to allowing
the viewer to experience the same frustrations that
the characters are experiencing.
This inaction and verbosity in the
film is nothing but appropriate with the themes of
the film being the male/female sexual dynamic in adult
heterosexual relationships. This is a film about infidelity,
betrayal, jealousy, revenge, and the undercurrents
of violence and revenge that are prevalent in such
relationships. There's even a dab of homoeroticism
in the film. These themes cannot be honestly and openly
discussed without some brutal sexual language flying
about, and no one here holds back. Owen is the most
graphic here but even the demure Law has moments of
intense sexual boldness. It takes much courage on
his part to play his character, who utters several
homoeritic lines of dialogue, considering that his
is often portrayed as somewhat "gay" in the media
and in popular culture. Key to the film is the idea
of male conquest of females via sex and this "game"
is between men and, in a way, substitutes as a subconscious
homosexual act.
Nichols is an intelligent and honest
director, and as in his groundbreaking "Virginia Woolf,"
the film here is much more than a play on screen or
a "talky" drama. While both films rely on language
and verbosity to convey their stories, both also rely
in keen camera work and compelling images to accentuate
their tales. And time is important as well. While
"Woolf" takes place over a single night, "Closer"
stretches several years, often skipping months at
a time in the story. But Nichols is a smart director
with a great script at his disposal, plus he trusts
his audience's intelligence, so not once do we have
to suffer text reading "Four Months Later" or any
other chronilogical-pointing subtitle. The dialogue
allows us to understand what is going on and how much
time has passed between the segments here.
"Closer" is a fantastic and frank
film. There are very many important ideas about human
sexuality being discussed here, openly and boldly.
Society may very well be less shockable and more intelligent
about human sexuality than in was in 1966 when Nichols
lensed his first film with such adult themes, but
both of these pieces will play well regardless of
when they are shown because open and outspoken dialogue
about sexuality will always be timely. These two films,
"Closer" and "Virginia Woolf," would play quite well
together on a double bill.
Notes:
Owen played Law's role on stage.
Cate Blanchett was originally set
to play Roberts role but had to drop out due to her
pregnancy.
A song by Suzanne Vega is used in
the trailer but I don't recall hearing it in the film.
Filmed in England.
Viewed in Austin in December 2004.
