Closer (2004)

Directed by: Mike Nichols | 104 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Jude Law, Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Nathalie Portman, Nick Hobbs, Colin Stinton, Steve Benham, Jaclynn Tiffany Brown, Michael Haley, Steve Morphew, Peter Rnic

Since the introduction of the unsurpassed icons, every Dutch film-goer should know where he stands. Violence, sex, drug abuse, discrimination, for everything that could hurt a person, he is warned by a simple symbol. For all? After seeing ‘Closer’, it appears that at least one icon is still missing from the whole: a stage curtain to indicate that it concerns the film adaptation of a play. Is that important? Sometimes.

Closer is the film adaptation of Patrick Farber’s play of the same name. After seeing the film, anyone who wants to complain about the big jumps in time, unexpected turns and violent outbursts of emotion should bear in mind that a play has different dramaturgical requirements than an average film script. This applies even more to the dialogues, which are often somewhat artificial and (too) ad rem. But it makes no sense to criticize ‘Closer’ for this, nor do you blame a filmed musical for being sung in it. Whether a play is at all suitable for unadulterated adaptation is another discussion entirely.

More relevant is the question of whether ‘Closer’ has become an interesting film adaptation. That question can be answered with a resounding yes. This is primarily due to the star ensemble that has gathered here, with Nathalie Portman in particular showing again what a great talent she is. But also Clive Owen, Julia Roberts and Jude Law play the tiles of the roof here. Directed by veteran Mike Nichols (‘The Graduate’, ‘Carnal Knowledge’), it has become a production that oozes acting talent and for that reason alone ‘Closer’ is a joy to watch.

Another reason is the interesting theme and its elaboration. ‘Closer’ is about contemporary relationships, and for that matter could also have been called ‘Love in Times of Egomania’. Calculating characters with egos that are way too big, who never let an amorous opportunity go by. If this leads to a divorce, it is not the lack but the injured ego that will determine the action. This results in a bleak story of infidelity, revenge, regret, lies, deceit, suspicion, sex as currency and consuming jealousy. It doesn’t make you happy and you don’t want to identify with the main characters either, but luckily there is enough humor in the film not to let the drama derail.

Although ‘Closer’ has thus become a very successful adaptation, many will leave the cinema disappointed. These will mainly be those who did not know that this is a stage adaptation and who should therefore have been warned by such an icon. In the case of ‘Closer’, another icon is needed: a couple in love with a red cross through it. Forbidden for lovers. The chance that you enter the cinema as a happy couple and come out as two sad loners is not entirely imaginary. Be warned!