Cast: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen
Director: Mike Nichols
Studio Synopsis: The story of four strangers (Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen) and their chance meetings, instant attractions and casual betrayals.
Rating: R
Running Time: 98 minutes
Official Web site: http://sonypictures.com/movies/closer/
Trailer: http://sonypictures.com/movies/closer/

Reviews: “A good fight is never clean,” Clive Owen warns Jude Law as they lock horns for the affections of Julia Roberts. That’s especially true of the proudly mature Closer, Mike Nichol’s riveting adaptation of Patrick Marber’s play about the trials and tribulations of two London-based couples obsessed with sex, lies and photographs. Everyone hits below the belt—literally and figuratively—and that makes for a brutally frank but gloriously glib dissection of the game of love. Their language is crude but crisp and vivid, and they go to the extreme in their pursuit of happiness. Ex-stripper Natalie Portman adores obit writer Law, who lusts after photographer Roberts. Dermatologist Owen thinks he’s won Roberts’ heart, but she’s both dismayed and turned on by Law’s stalker-like attention. Then it’s all change as Roberts shacks up with Law, leaving Portman and Owen to stew—alone and together—in their anger, resentment and disappointment. Love certainly hurts in Closer—no pain, no gain, Nichols and Marber argue when it comes to matters of the heart in the 21st century. They also take great delight in exposing the deceptions—from the littlest white lies to the great big whoppers—that can doom even the most passionate romance to failure. And Closer stays true to its course with a surprising outcome that reinforces the contention that honesty is the only policy—regardless of when it’s adopted—to ensure love will blossom. And love does mean having to say sorry and granting forgiveness. Accordingly, Nichols puts his sterling cast on an emotional rollercoaster from start to end. Roberts maintains a quiet intensity as the photographer torn between two men. Portman imbues her worldly waif with intelligence and self-assurance, and she maintains her poise during scenes that require her to dominate sexually. Law employs his womanizing ways from Alfie to better effect—he’s charming, but unlike in Alfie, Law doesn’t shy away from being despicable and unsympathetic. But it is Owen who steals the film as the heart and soul of Closer. He’s loud, passionate, and dedicated to the truth no matter the consequences. This is an Oscar-worthy turn that never borders on the excessive or the fatuous. Owen also shares with Law the funniest scene of the year. It involves Law pretending to be a woman as he chats online with Owen. The ruse proves delightfully vulgar and unbelievably hilarious. Nichols—who covered similar terrain with 1971’s Carnal Knowledge—successfully maintains the balance between Closer’s pitch-black humor and the bleakness that accompanies the dismantling of its core relationships. Unlike Angels in America, which heralded Nichol’s long-awaited return to form, Closer still feels somewhat stagy. There’s lot of talking—of the X-rated variety—and long scenes that remain situated in one locale. But Nichols keeps the proceedings as snappy and colorful as Marber’s dialogue. He also tackles Closer’s divisive sexual politics without flinching, which is much welcome in a day and age when such matters are slowly becoming taboo. “Better to be truthful about this kind of thing,” Owen tells Roberts after a quickie in his office. Thankfully, Closer is.
—Robert Sims

Other Reviews:
Hollywood.com (3 1/2 stars)
Street Weekly (3 stars)
The Miami Herald (2 stars)
The Sun-Sentinel (2 stars)
The Palm Beach Post (B)
City Link
New Times Broward-Palm Beach