Closer

(KVIFF 2024) Closer is intimate romantic drama, artfully written and with believable performances, centered around a love quadrangle and somewhat volatile 'climaxes'. All four actors do their roles to perfection, with Clive Owen nailing it the most. I was a little distracted by the time jumps at first, but you notice this almost immediately. Closer is very sensual film, without any explicit sex scenes – there’s ample use of spicy dialogue (and chats). One of the good things is that you basically have no idea until the very end how geometrical a constellation the whole story will reach. (07/05/2024)

An intimately conceived romantic drama, clearly inspired by the theatrical version, whose success is supported by excellent dialogues, a quality screenplay, and top-notch acting performances. Since the film is based on a play, a significant part of the story takes place indoors, somewhat resembling a more expensive television production. All four of the engaged stars deserve the highest rating for their performance, although Julia Roberts lags behind just a bit. It is reliably directed by the experienced Mike Nichols, with visually appealing shots of Natalie Portman dressed as a stripper, which will be sure to attract male viewers. Compared to the theatrical version, the film concludes much more sentimentally and romantically. Overall impression: 90%. (06/21/2006)

For a Hollywood film with a mainstream A-list cast, Closer is quite daring in its themes, language and depiction of sexuality. The central quartet of actors do a brilliant job, and Clive Owen in particular thoroughly enjoys his part and gives an excellent performance. I was a little put off by the fact that, with its running time and looping plot, the film, particularly in the second half, feels slightly repetitive and the jumps in time are often quite brutal. A well done dramatic chore, but I could imagine it being even more polished. [KVIFF 2024] (07/07/2024)

A soap opera for discerning viewers. Provocative, impudent, sleazy, artfully filmed (with respect to the possibilities of the interior sets) and, mainly, fantastically acted. Love, deceit, intrigue, revenge. But there is a little too much of that in the last third – a bit of detached humor would have helped. (03/23/2005)

For me it was disappointing. Nichols shoots beautifully and the actors give their all to their roles, but the script shows almost no attempt at a deeply dramatic epic or plot loop. The characters swim in an ocean of titillating sexual fantasy, but the average viewer sort of stands on the shore and hopes to at least drool over a naked Queen Padmé or Pretty Woman, but we never get that, unfortunately, even though Natalie has a lot of talent as a stripper. (08/16/2017)