# What did you think of the movie "Closer"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 13, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371 "2005-09-13T01:37:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/1 "2005-09-13T01:37:59Z")
I just watched **Closer** for the second time and I’m curious what others have thought of the movie. So, did you like it? Did you hate it? Did anything bother you about it? What? Why? ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/2 "2005-09-13T02:07:20Z")
It was very play-like, which isn’t an insult – I think it would have worked better onstage. (It was a play before it was a movie, wasn’t it? It gave off that feeling.) I didn’t think Natalie Portman was as good as everyone says she was, and Clive Owen is vastly underrated as an actor. The meeting people/“strangers”/who are you really? theme was obviously running through the movie, but I couldn’t see where it was going (if it was going anywhere). ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/3 "2005-09-13T02:10:53Z")
> [@Large Marge](#): > > I just watched **Closer** for the second time and I’m curious what others have thought of the movie. > > So, did you like it? Did you hate it? Did anything bother you about it? What? Why? I wasn’t fond of it except of course for Miss Portman’s dancing. It was about a bunch of dysfunctional people who evoked little sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/4 "2005-09-13T03:08:17Z")
Cutting Natalie Portman’s nude scene is an unforgivable sin. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/5 "2005-09-13T03:21:08Z")
As much as I enjoyed it, I found Jude Law’s character unbelievable. Portman’s character was young, pretty, energetic, and clever. Roberts’ was older, less attractive, and bitchy, yet he fell for her. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/6 "2005-09-13T03:22:25Z")
Two words: Clive Owen. Damn, he’s hot. Oh, right, the movie. Er, it was all right. I liked the dialogue, although it seemed a bit too dramatic at times. I agree that it would’ve worked better as a play. But only if Clive Owen was in it. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/7 "2005-09-13T04:01:42Z")
I wanted to hate it. Really, I did. I hate Natalie Portman (no talent, imo), dislike Julia Roberts (picks bad parts imo), have little opinion of Jude Law, and knew little (at the time) of Clive Owen. Despite all that, I loved it. Great performances by all. Clive Owen was _pained_. I also got the impression that it was a play in a previous life. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/8 "2005-09-13T04:01:46Z")
Just for the record, it was indeed a play first, by Patrick Marber. I am an enormous fan of both, but I must say I enjoyed the movie a tiny bit more. I thought the performances, even Julia Roberts’, were fantastic, and the dialogue spot-on. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/9 "2005-09-13T05:16:41Z")
I loved the movie, yet hated every single one of the characters. I went because I’m a huuuuuge Clive Owen fan (from his BBC Mystery show, _Second Sight_). Mmmmmmm. Ahem, anyway, **Speaker for the Dead** , I can see Jude Law’s character going after Julia Roberts’ character…she was famous, a successful artist…what he wanted to be and living the life he thought he should have. I think he probably felt life with Natalie Portman had gotten a little too mundane, normal. Plus, I see him acting out this role in real life (at least according to the gossip pages), so I don’t think the character is that unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![yastobaal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/258eb7/32.png) [@yastobaal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yastobaal)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/10 "2005-09-13T06:19:11Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > Two words: Clive Owen. > > Damn, he’s hot. > > Oh, right, the movie. Er, it was all right. I liked the dialogue, although it seemed a bit too dramatic at times. I agree that it would’ve worked better as a play. > > But only if Clive Owen was in it. And Clive Owen was in the original play. But he played the other guy (Dan IIRC). ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/11 "2005-09-13T06:56:40Z")
As others have said it was indeed a play first, and a fairly good one. Your real clue should be the fact that Mike Nichols directed it, and he rarely ever directs anything that wasnt a stage play first (the notable exeption being “The Graduate” which became a stage play later, though I am still not sure why.) I have seen the play more recently than the film, but if I remember correctly they changed the ending a bit in the film didn’t they? Anyway, I thought it was an ok movie, but seeing as how it is something of a meditation on British classism I was always a bit confused by the choice to have two of the leads not be British. Makes no sense and kind of undercuts the point of the story. Without the classist aspects of the plot all you are left with are 4 people who don’t know how to behave themselves as adults. IMHO this isn’t half as interesting. Still, that scene in the strip club is tough to dislike, so marginal thumbs up for me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rainbowthief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4bbf92/32.png) [@Rainbowthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rainbowthief)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/12 "2005-09-13T09:51:44Z")
I can’t stand Roberts or Portman, but I was curious to see **Closer** after reading a review in _The New Yorker_ praising Owen’s performance. Damn, were they right. He totally owned in that movie, especially in his confrontation with Jude Law’s character after Julia Roberts has gone back to him. The movie was mediocre, but if I can pick it up cheap, I’ll buy the DVD just to enjoy Clive Owen over and over. He was _that_ great in it. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/13 "2005-09-13T12:04:52Z")
I was bored to tears with it. After the Natalie Portman dance scene, I figured, “well, that’s gonna be the highlight of this movie” and I turned it off. ---
**Author:** ![wayward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a87d85/32.png) [@wayward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wayward)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/14 "2005-09-13T12:15:14Z")
I loved it. I went into it not knowing very much and expecting a fairly standard romantic comedy that I’d quickly tire of. Boy, was I wrong. There was romance, of a sort, and there was comedy but it was like no film I’ve ever seen before. Fantastic acting all round too. Also, Clive Owen _needs_ to be James Bond. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/15 "2005-09-14T00:34:49Z")
> [@yastobaal](#): > > And Clive Owen was in the original play. But he played the other guy (Dan IIRC). Really? Wow. Somehow I can’t picture him in that role. But I’m sure he was good. He’s always good. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/16 "2005-09-14T01:11:35Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > As others have said it was indeed a play first, and a fairly good one. Your real clue should be the fact that Mike Nichols directed it, and he rarely ever directs anything that wasnt a stage play first [Oh](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086312/) [really?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/)[Is](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073008/) [that](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091188/) [so?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111742/) [Because](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065528/) [it’s](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066892/) [news](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102768/) [to](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100395/) [me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119942/). ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/17 "2005-09-14T01:13:28Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > [Oh](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086312/) [really?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/)[Is](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073008/) [that](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091188/) [so?](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111742/) [Because](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065528/) [it’s](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066892/) [news](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102768/) [to](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100395/) [me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119942/). Ok I did say rarely, and I should have added recently. Sheesh, just can’t make sweeping generalizations about anything anymore can you 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/18 "2005-09-14T01:15:49Z")
sorry for the double post, I should have also mentioned that for some reason in my head book adaptations count as plays. But thats because I am clearly crazy, and you wouldn’t have known that. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Go\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Blue)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/19 "2005-09-14T01:20:10Z")
Were both women Americans in the play, too? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371/20 "2005-09-14T01:26:46Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > sorry for the double post, I should have also mentioned that for some reason in my head book adaptations count as plays. Fair enough. That just leaves **Oh really? Is so? It’s news.** 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-think-of-the-movie-closer/321371.md?page=2)