MovieChat Forums > Closer (2004) Discussion > This movie is so real

This movie is so real

posted 2 years ago by jasonbayly13181 (184)
5 replies | jump to latest

I love watching it but feel like I need to shower afterwards. I've been in the position of being cheated on while in a serious relationship, and the feelings and emotions are so real in this movie. Even the things they say to each other are so realistic. You have to be mentally ready to watch this if you've ever had a life experience like the ones the actors portray, but it's really worth watching. 2004 was a really good year for movies and this one stands out very near the top.

[–] liscarkat (18367) 12 days ago

Almost any guy who's been in serious relationships with women has been cheated on. It takes multiple attempts before you find a woman who can be trusted.

[–] Seperatrix (1213) 12 days ago

I didn't find it so realistic. People in the real world lie. The people in this film do not. They are brutally honest to whom they're speaking, to the point of relishing in the cruelty of what they are saying.

Typically people who cheat will resort to denial as the first line of defense.

The characters in this film appear all too eager to do the wrong thing just so they can pronounce it to the world.

Lastly, I found the dialogue very much like a play. Then lo and behold I found out the film was indeed adapted from a play.

Well done and a good film make no mistake, but I found the dialogue a bit stilted for my taste, at least in parts.

[–] letess (1513) 12 days ago

Yes, it was originally a play. It premiered in 1997 at the Royal National Theatre in London. It won awards including the Olivier, Evening Standard, and New York drama Critics' Circle Awards. Portman and Owen received Oscar nominations. In the play, Clive Owen played Dan, but Jude Law played the role in the film. I loved this movie. It is raw. The dialogue was real. Less real is the likelihood of all four being together. The manipulations of love and possession. My favorite were the scenes with Portman and Owen because they were the jilted ones. Portman as a stripper and Owen as her client were gold.

[–] Seperatrix (1213) 11 days ago

Yes I would agree that the scene with Portman/Owen was the highlight of the film for sure.

And I don't mean to nitpick, but the dialogue just comes off a little too on point upon repeated viewings (and I have seen the film several times over the years, I initially enjoyed it so much that I added it to my library).

Still think it's a solid film from front to back and the acting is supurb, but given the cast I'd expect nothing less.

[–] letess (1513) 11 days ago

You are not being nitpicky, you are quite correct actually - since it is a play, the dialogue is always going to be different than if it was an actual screenplay. I think this movie is very adult. Something you don’t often see - now. It is Mike Nichols and it is reminiscent of something he did earlier - Carnal Knowledge with Jack Nicholson and Ann-Margret and Candace Bergen and Art G - that was also a play by Jules Feiffer.