Closer (film)
| Closer | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Mike Nichols |
| Written by | Patrick Marber |
| Produced by | Mike Nichols Cary Brokaw John Calley |
| Starring | Julia Roberts Jude Law Natalie Portman Clive Owen |
| Cinematography | Stephen Goldblatt |
| Edited by | John Bloom Antonia Van Drimmelen |
| Music by | Suzana Peric |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Entertainment |
Release date | December 3, 2004 |
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | Template:FilmUS |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $27 million[1] |
| Box office | $115,505,027 |
Closer is a 2004 American drama film written by Patrick Marber, based on his award-winning 1997 play of the same name. It was produced and directed by Mike Nichols and stars Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Jude Law and Clive Owen. The film, like the play on which it is based, has been seen by some as a modern and tragic version of Mozart's opera Così fan tutte, with references to that opera in both the plot and the soundtrack.[2] Owen starred in the play as Dan, the role assumed by Law in the film.
The film was recognized with a number of awards and nominations, including Oscar nominations (and Golden Globe wins) for both Portman and Owen for their performances in supporting roles.
Plot
 | This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. (January 2010) |
In the opening scene, 20-year-old Alice Ayres (Natalie Portman) and Dan Woolf (Jude Law) see each other for the first time. Alice just arrived from the United States in London and Dan is an unsuccessful British author who is on his way to work where he writes obituaries for a newspaper. Alice looks in the wrong direction as she crosses the street and is hit by a taxicab right in front of Dan. He takes her to a hospital, where Alice is treated and released. Afterward, they stop by Postman's Park.
A year later, Dan has written a novel based on Alice's life and while being photographed to publicize it, he flirts with the American photographer Anna Cameron (Julia Roberts)and they kiss. Dan tries to persuade Anna into having an affair with him but is cut short by Alice's return. Alice asks Anna if she can have her portrait taken as well. Anna also takes a photo of Alice, who is sad because she overheard Dan and Anna's conversation.
Another year later, Dan enters a cybersex chat room and randomly meets Larry Gray (Clive Owen), a British dermatologist. With Anna still on his mind, Dan pretends to be her, and using the pretense that they will be having sex, convinces Larry to meet at the aquarium (where Anna told Dan she often went). Larry goes to the meeting place, and by coincidence meets Anna. Anna reveals that she is being stalked by a man named Dan, who was most likely to blame for the setup. Soon, Anna and Larry become a couple.
Four months later, Anna's has a photo exhibition, one of the photos being the tearful one of Alice. Larry recognizes Alice from her photo and they talk. Meanwhile, Dan convinces Anna to become involved with him. They begin cheating on their respective lovers for a year, even though Anna and Larry marry halfway through the year. Eventually Anna and Dan each confess the affair to their respective partners, leaving their relationships for one another.
Alice supports herself as a stripper, still heartbroken by her loss. One day, Larry accidentally runs into Alice working as a stripper at a strip club, but can not quite remember from where (she is wearing a pink wig). He asks her if her name is Alice, but no matter how much money he gives her, she keeps telling him her name is "Jane Jones."
Anna sees Larry and asks him to sign the divorce papers so she can be with Dan; he agrees under the condition that she has sex with him one last time. When she goes to meet Dan at the opera after the tryst, he knows what has happened. Dan goes to Larry's office to confront him, and is shocked to find out that Anna never turned the signed divorce papers in to her lawyer. Larry suggests to Dan that he try to get Alice back, but Dan does not know where she is. Larry tells him where to find Alice, and also tells him that Alice and he slept together.
Dan and Alice are in a hotel room near Heathrow Airport happy to be back together, and planning to go to the USA. When Dan asks her whether she had a one-night stand with Larry, she initially denies it. He insists on the truth, so she suddenly tells him that she doesn't love him anymore, then goes on to say that she did sleep with Larry. They get into an argument that ends in Dan slapping her.
In the end, Alice returns to New York alone. Passing through the immigration checkpoint on her way back into the United States, it is revealed that her name is indeed Jane Jones (the name she had given Larry in the strip club). Dan also sees the name "Alice Ayres" on a dedication in Postman's Park.
Production
Filming
Closer was filmed at Elstree Film and Television Studios and on location in London.
Music
The main theme of the film follows Mozart's opera Così fan tutte, with references to that opera in both the plot and the soundtrack.[3] Further the soundtrack contains songs from Jem, Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan, Bebel Gilberto, The Devlins, Prodigy and The Smiths.
- The music of Irish folk singer Damien Rice is featured in the film, most notably the song "The Blower's Daughter," whose lyrics drew many parallels with the themes present in the film. The opening notes from Rice's song "Cold Water" are also used repeatedly, notably in the memorial park scenes. Rice wrote a song entitled "Closer" which was intended for use in the film, but was not completed in time.[citation needed]
- The opera that Dan and Anna attend is Mozart's Così fan tutte, the plot of which bears resemblances to that of the film.
- American Deathcore band Killwhitneydead use a sample from "Closer" in their song "Let Me Give You a Hand Throwing Yourself Out" from their 2007 album Hell To Pay.
- Uplifting Trance producer Andy Blueman sampled Natalie Portman's "I don't love you anymore" dialogue in the breakdown of his song "Time To Rest"
- American pop-rock band Panic At the Disco released the singles "Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" and "But It's Better If You Do" from their 2005 album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out.
- American pop-punk band Fall Out Boy's single "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" lyrically draws heavily from the film, including the line "he tastes like you, only sweeter".
- Folk singer Suzanne Vega's song "Caramel" is featured in the film's trailer, but does not appear anywhere in the film itself.
Reception
Critical reaction
The film received generally positive reviews from critics. In the review of Rotten Tomatoes reported 69% of the positive reviews, based on 188 reviews.[4] In another review, Metacritic reported 65% of positive reviews, based on 42 reviews.[5] Roger Ebert writing for Chicago Sun-Times said of the people involved with the film that "They are all so very articulate, which is refreshing in a time when literate and evocative speech has been devalued in the movies". Peter Travers writing for Rolling Stone that it "Mike Nichols haunting, hypnotic Closer vibrates with eroticism, bruising laughs and dynamite performances from four attractive actors doing decidedly unattractive things". Kenneth Turan writing for Los Angeles Times that it is "Despite involved acting and Nichols' impeccable professionalism as a director, the end result is, to quote one of the characters, a bunch of sad strangers photographed beautifully" . A.O. Scott writing for The New York Times that it is "Unlike most movie love stories, Closer does have the virtue of unpredictability. The problem is that, while parts are provocative and forceful, the film as a whole collapses into a welter of misplaced intensity."
Box office
The film was released on December 2004, in the United States. Closer opened in limited release, but theatre count was increased after the film was released. The film was domestically a financial success, grossing $33,987,757.[1] Huge success followed in the international market, where the film grossed an additional $81,517,270, accounting for over 70% of its worldwide gross, which turned out to be $115,505,027. It was considered a great success at the box office as its actual production budget was only $27 million.[1]
Awards and nominations
The film won the following awards:
| Year | Award | Category – Winner(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | BAFTA Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Clive Owen |
| 2005 | Golden Globes | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Clive Owen |
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Natalie Portman | ||
| 2005 | Las Vegas Film Critics Society | Best Supporting Actor – Clive Owen |
| 2004 | National Board of Review | Best Acting by an Ensemble – Jude Law, Clive Owen, Natalie Portman and Julia Roberts |
| 2004 | New York Film Critics Circle | Best Supporting Actor – Clive Owen |
| 2004 | San Diego Film Critics Society | Best Supporting Actress – Natalie Portman |
| 2004 | Toronto Film Critics Association | Best Supporting Actor, Male – Clive Owen |
The film was nominated for the following awards:
| Year | Award | Category – Nominee(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Academy Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Clive Owen |
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Natalie Portman | ||
| 2005 | American Screenwriters Association | Discover Screenwriting Award – Patrick Marber |
| 2005 | BAFTA Awards | Best Screenplay – Adapted – Patrick Marber |
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Natalie Portman | ||
| 2005 | Broadcast Film Critics Association | Best Acting Ensemble – Jude Law, Clive Owen, Natalie Portman and Julia Roberts |
| Best Supporting Actor – Clive Owen | ||
| Best Supporting Actress – Natalie Portman | ||
| 2005 | Golden Globes | Best Director – Motion Picture – Mike Nichols |
| Best Motion Picture – Drama | ||
| Best Screenplay – Motion Picture – Patrick Marber | ||
| 2005 | Online Film Critics Society | Best Screenplay, Adapted – Patrick Marber |
| Best Supporting Actor – Clive Owen | ||
| Best Supporting Actress – Natalie Portman | ||
| 2005 | Satellite Award | Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Drama – Clive Owen |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Drama – Natalie Portman | ||
| Best Film Editing – John Bloom and Antonia Van Drimmelen | ||
| Best Screenplay, Adapted – Patrick Marber | ||
| 2005 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actress: Drama – Natalie Portman |
Home media release
Closer was released in DVD in 2005 and high-definition Blu-ray Disc on May 22, 2007.
References
- ^ a b c "boxofficemojo.com". Closer (2004). Retrieved 21 March 2006.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dateformat=ignored (help) - ^ Daniel Felsenfeld (November 8, 2006). "Così fan tutte and the Shock of the Now". Retrieved 2009-06-08.
- ^ "Così fan tutte and the Shock of the Now" by Daniel Felsenfeld, Nov 08, 2006
- ^ "Closer – Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- ^ "Closer (2004): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
External links
- Official website
- Closer at IMDb
- Closer at AllMovie
- 2000s drama films
- 2004 films
- American romantic drama films
- Nonlinear narrative films
- Films about writers
- Films based on plays
- Films directed by Mike Nichols
- Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe winning performance
- Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe winning performance
- Films set in London
- Independent films