Movie Review: Closer

I literally finished watching this movie a second ago, and it's gotten under my skin so much that I felt compelled to write about it. It's one of those critically acclaimed but unfortunately not so well known plays, and I think it's almost better that fewer people know about it; because not everybody deserves to know the gritty yet surreal tale of four people in a tangled web of lust and deceit, all relating back to the cause of almost every break up: love, or lack of.

Okay, so Jude Law is in it. And if I could choose anyone in the world to chain to my side forever, it would be Jude Law. Anything with him in it is automatically hugely appealing to me because, he is hot. I mean, those baby blues? That clipped London accent? The messy hair and the earnest roles he always plays? Yes, please. And, although he's kind of old and I probably should not think this, Clive Owen (who plays Larry) is just a little bit hot, too. I mean, come on- there's something about his accent and his pervy character. It's so wierd; but then Closer is designed to turn the tables. The people who seem good aren't; the people who you think you've got pegged as evil turn out to be human. Everything is upside down, just as it is in the real world.

But I didn't just turn to this play-turned-movie for the man candy. Oh no; Natalie Portman is in it, too, and ever since her performance in The Other Boleyn Girl as Anne Boleyn (a personal heroine, in a twisted sort of way) I've been intrigued to see what else she can do. And what I've discovered about her is that I always like her best when she's playing cynical, bitter, jaded women who are as sly and clever as they are seductive and charismatic. First Anne Boleyn, then Leslie the gambler in My Blueberry Nights. But never have I seen her so exquisitely portray a multi-dimensional character, one who you can intenely love and hate simeltaneously. Alice Ayres is a fascinating girl, alright, and Portman was just perfect. And I'm always a fan of Julia Roberts- the woman is a legend, although I think her performance was far overshadowed by Portman's brilliance. Except the scene where Anna and Larry are breaking up and she utters the fabulous line, 'He tastes like you but sweeter!'

Just the ups and downs of the people in the story intrigued me; like, no one is ever totally good or bad and this movie just decided to baldly state it for once instead of employing the usual good guy/bad guy routine. And how much more interesting it is! To see Jude Law being so cute at the beginning, then becoming such a wanker towards Alice, and then doing a full 360 and falling apart because she leaves him is far more compelling viewing than watching him schmooze women (although I'd happily watch that, too, thanks). And the concept of lies and truth; the use of irony and strong language; god, there aren't enough words to describe the effectiveness of Closer.

This is my favourite scene in the entire movie. It combines the real and the surreal; the glitz and what lies beneath it; the drama and the lull and the beautiful and the ugly. It sells sex and pain and anguish and whats more, it does it really well. Natalie Portman is absolutely dazzling as she plays an almost-whore, and the irony in the fateful line 'Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off.. but it's better if you do' is astounding. Undoubtedly, Closer is the best movie I have seen in months, maybe even years.