Closer

Rating: 3/4 (Confusing plot, but splendid acting)

Usually Julia Roberts hogs the screen in any movie she appears in. Not so in Closer, a romantic drama based on a play of the same name. In Closer, the principal characters (2 males and 2 females) prevaricate on their love and switch many times. Dan (Jude Law) runs into Alice (Natalie Portman) in London and falls in love at first sight. Just when their relationship is maturing, Dan meets Cameron (Julia Roberts) and starts to secretly love her. A gimmick by Dan brings Cameron together with Larry (Clive Owen) and they too fall in love, after Cameron decides to forget Dan. Things do not go according to plan and Cameron breaks up with Larry, Dan breaks up with Alice and the heartbroken Larry tries to woo Alice. In this game of musical chairs, one couple finds longlasting love and the other do not.

Jude Law and Natalie Portman easily overshadow Julia Roberts and bring a magnetic appeal to every scene they appear in. Jude Law is especially notable in the opening act when he falls in love with Portman. Clive Owen has actually acted in the Closer play, but I found his delivery quite heavy handed. The viewer is also left confused if Larry (Clive Owen) is genuinely in search of love, or he is just playing the maniac villain wrecking the lives of those around him. The plot is a bit confusing, I could not really see why people would play around like in the movie. Still, Closer is intriguing and packs great acting prowess.