Closer is a film about four people who keep lying to each other. It is also a film about how quickly desire can turn into something darker. The movie, directed by Mike Nichols and adapted from Patrick Marber’s play, follows two couples whose lives become tangled when the man from one couple meets the woman of the other. The result is a sharp, sometimes cruel look at the lies we tell ourselves and the ones we tell each other.
Trailer, via HD Retro Trailers.
The Two Couples
The story opens in London, where writer Dan Woolf meets Alice Ayres after she is hit by a car. She is a beautiful American woman unused to the direction of traffic in England. They fall in love and Dan writes a novel about her. One year later, Dan flirts with the photographer Anna Cameron while being photographed for publicity. They kiss, and Alice overhears them. Alice asks Anna to take her picture too, and during the session, Anna captures her crying. Alice never tells Dan what she heard.
“If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking.”
The Prank
Another year passes and Dan enters a chat room where he pretends to be Anna. He invites Larry Gray, a British dermatologist, to meet at the aquarium. Larry shows up and finds Anna there. He realizes he has been tricked. Anna tells Larry that Dan was likely behind the setup. Soon, Anna and Larry become a couple.
Four months later, at Anna’s photo exhibition, Larry meets Alice, who he recognizes from the tearful photograph. Anna had told him Alice and Dan were together. Dan then persuades Anna to cheat with him, and they do so for a year, even after Anna and Larry marry halfway through.
The Cast
Julia Roberts plays Anna Cameron, a cool and controlled woman whose surface calm hides a need for attention. Natalie Portman plays Alice Ayres, a damaged soul who watches Dan and Anna’s affair unfold. Jude Law plays Dan Woolf, a writer who uses people to fuel his work. Clive Owen plays Larry Gray, a quiet man caught in a web he never asked for. The performances carry the film’s moral weight.
What Works
The film moves fast, and Nichols keeps the pace tight. The dialogue is sharp, and the actors deliver it with precision. The story is a modern retelling of an older work, with references woven into the plot and the soundtrack. The film’s themes of deception and desire are handled with a cold intelligence.
What Falls Short
The film is not interested in giving Alice a full arc. She is the wounded woman who watches everyone else act, and the film barely lets her speak for herself. That lack of balance means the story feels less about her and more about the men around her. The final act rushes through the couple’s marriage and the affair without spending much time on what either means to Anna or Larry.
The Verdict
Closer is a well-made film that struggles with its own cruelty toward Alice. It is best remembered for its performances and its sharp script, less for its moral clarity. The film runs 104 minutes and grossed $115 million at the box office.
- Director: Mike Nichols
- Writer: Patrick Marber, adapted from his play
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Box office: $115 million
- Score: 6.5 of 10
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
