Directed by: Mike Nichols
Writing credits: Patrick Marber
Movie Genre: Drama/Romance
Released: 2004
Rating: R
Closer is based on a play by the same name. It centres around two couples portrayed by Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Natalie Portman.
Closer is an elaborate character study of two London couples as they engage in an ultimate game of partner swapping. Alice/Jane is a gorgeous young runaway from New York's seedy sex industry; she soon pairs up with Dan, a thoughtful but unsuccessful novelist and journalist, who pens a book about her.
Anna is an independent, successful photographer. After Dan makes a move on her during a photo session for the book, she rejects Dan, who retaliates by tricking her into a relationship with Larry, a dermatologist with the lust and manners of a soccer hooligan.
The plot revolves around the infatuation of the couples for one another. If they could only treat these relationships with the silence they deserve, there would be no story here. Instead, they are brutally "honest" about their faithlessness, sometimes inventing “sex stories” that never occurred to "test the love" of their significant other.
The film is sparse in action and heavy on dialogue, and almost all of the dialogue comes from the four main characters. The film was billed as a romantic drama and, though a success, it took many people aback because of its explicit sexual dialogue.
Characters frankly and aggressively discuss sex acts with one another; notably, the internet-exchange between Dan and Larry (with Dan posing as Anna) contains unusually graphic descriptions of sex acts.
The original play had a questioning title: "What's so great about the truth? The truth hurts people - try lying for a change. It's the currency of the world."
**This summary contains information gathered from Wikipedia (Closer) under the GNU Free Documentation License