The First Cut is the Deepest

Talk about last minute...

Up to the start of the Golden Globes yesterday, there was one movie that I had missed towards the end of last year that was at first, unassuming to me. After hearing tremendous buzz, and of course based on the stellar cast, we finally got our butts off the couch and trudged off to the The Grove to finally see Closer.

What is Closer? One might ask that question and get a series of responses. My girlfriend is of the opinion that although well acted, the movie itself is demented and severely depraved. On some points, I'll agree with her that there are some genuinely twisted situations in the movie itself, but nothing I didn't expect from a movie marketed as a frank depiction of how terribly petty people can be when it comes to relationships, love, and physical intimacy. The immensely talented cast of Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen, and Julia Roberts get all their moments to shine in this brilliantly acted film in moments that range from exceedingly sweet to heartbreaking. After leaving, I found myself asking, what is this movie really about? Well, let's get into that a little later.

First off, this movie and Sideways have two things in common. They happen to be two of the smallest movies released last year and they also happen to be two of the smartest scripted and well-acted movies released last year. Dialogue-wise, I was impressed that the language never drifted into pretentiousness. Where Sideways had a very natural script, Closer was more clever than anything. Not unlike watching an episode of Gilmore Girls, I have a feeling that it must have taken 10 pounds of paper alone to house the between character chit-chat. The words fly fast and loose, and at times passes from real to unreal, but always remains engaging. I was most intrigued by how the tone was captured for scenes. Such subtle scenes as two friends conversing, two rivals conversing, and two lovers conversing are captured so well, it's hard to believe that someone could have written such a thing without having experienced it.

Acting wise, I'd say every one of these actors gives the performance of his/her career. I'm going to handicap Jude Law, as he usually gives a reasonable performance and notably has the least "acting" to do out of the ensemble. As evidenced by the dual supporting Globes from last night, Ms. Portman and Mr. Owen offer the strongest portrayals. Much has been publicized about Ms. Portman and her role as an exotic dancer, but what one might miss when focusing on the physical aspect of the role is the intense emotional commitment brought to the screen. In his own right, Mr. Owen acts to what is a deceptively deviant dermatologist but ends up as the most clever and conniving of all four central characters. What is lost amongst all this, is perhaps Ms. Roberts' best performance to date. She has never been more vulnerable, more flawed, and more stunning in any film as she is in this one.

Finally, what is this movie about? Ms. Portman has described it as being a representation of the good and evil in the world. Others have expressed that it is a film about how people use sex as a skewer. Myself, I tend to agree with both of these points, however, I'm more inclined to say that it's about what it takes sometimes for true intimacy to present itself. It takes hard work, it takes honesty, it takes maturity, and, horribly, sometimes it takes pain. The deception, heartbreak, and meanness found in the film all play as much a crucial role as the characters themselves. You can hear the pain in their voices as much as you can hear the love. Ultimately, that is what makes this film work. There is true emotional core to this film that cannot be replicated by mere dinner theater. That is why I say this movie, hard to watch at moments, is one of the best movies you had the opportunity to see all last year. Don't miss it.

Final Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars.