Closer - 2004

Category: Movies

Genre: Drama / Romance

Director: Mike Nichols

Producer / Companies: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures, Buenavista International

Writer: Patrick Marber

Tagline: If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking.

Cast: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, Nick Hobbs, Colin Stinton


Daniel Woolf(Jude Law), a mediocre obituary journalist and a struggling writer in London, England, takes Alice Ayres(Natalie Portman), who ran away from New York and a part-time stripper, to the hospital when she's hit by a car, and they fall in love.

A year later, Dan meets photographer Anna Cameron(Julia Roberts) and tries to pick her up, but nonchalantly rebuffs him. In revenge, Dan sets Anna up for an embarrassing encounter with a dermatologist he met online named Larry Gray(Clive Owen), but the two end up seeing each other. It came to a point where everybody saw each other at some art gallery where Anna placed her exhibits.

Closer's got some wicked twist in it. It's about cheating and betrayals. Julia's some sort of a twisted character. Someone you can't understand or she's what the movie calls a "depresser". Doesn't what to be happy. Well, it's an adult film. Heavy stuff. Not light or heart warming either. It shows the dark side of "love" which is basically "fear". A classic example of how fear can eat the love out of you. :)

Conversations I Like:

Dan: What do you do in New York?
Alice: You know.
Dan: I don't. You Studying?
Alice: Stripping!
Alice: Look at your little eyes...
Dan: I can't see my eyes.

Obituaries is like the Siberia of journalism.

Dan: Do you mind if I smoke?
Anna: If you must.
Dan: I don't have to.
Anna: Then, don't.

Dan: I've got to see you.
Anna: I don't want trouble.
Dan: I'm not trouble.
Anna: You're taken!
Dan: You kissed me.
Anna: What are you? 12?

Anna: I haven't seen you for a year!
Dan: Yes, you have.
Anna: Only because you stalk me outside my studio.
Dan: I didn't stalk. I lurked. and when I'm not there you look for me.
Anna: How do you know if you are not there?
Dan: Because, i'm there lurking from a distance.

Larry: Hello, stranger
Anna: Hello.
Larry: Intense conversation?
Anna: His father died. Were you spying?
Larry: Lovingly observing with a telescope.

You are a woman. She's a girl. She has the moronic beauty of a girl but she's sly.

Larry: Well, ill see to myself then with the ELLE decorated bathroom
Anna: You chose that bathroom
Larry: Everytime I wash in there, i feel dirty. It's cleaner than I am. It's got attitude. It's like saying: "Who the fuck are you?"
Anna: You chose it.
Larry: Doesn't mean I like it.


Alice: Why are you sorry? Why didn't you tell me before? Is it because she's successful?
Dan: No, it's because she doesn't need me. Deception is brutal. I'm not pretending otherwise.
Alice: How? HOw does it work? How do you do this to someone?
Dan: *shrugs*
Alice: Not good enough.

Dan: I fell in love with her Alice.
Alice: Oh, it's as if you have no choice. There's a moment. There's always a moment. I can do this, i can give in to this or I can resist it. And i dont know what your moment is, but i bet you there was one. I'm going. *opens the door*
Dan: It's not safe out there.
Alice: Why? Is it safe in here?
Dan: What about your things?
Alice: I dont need things.
Dan: Where will you go?
Alice: Disappear.

Alice: Why is it that love isn't enough?

Dan: You love her like a dog loves its owner.
Larry: And the owner loves the dog for so doing.
Dan: You'll hurt her. You'll never forgive her
Larry: Of course I'll forgive her. I *have* forgiven her. Without forgiveness we're savages. You're drowning.

Larry: I didn't do it to have a nice time. I fucked her to fuck you up.
Dan: You're an animal.
Larry: Yeah? What are you?
Dan: You think love is simple. Well, you think the heart is like a diagram.
Larry: Have you ever seen a human heart? It's like a fist wrapped in blood. Go, fuck yourself. You don't know the first thing about love. Cause you don't understand the word compromise. Go back to Alice. She loves you beyond description. Your prescription is where she works. Go to her.

Alice: I don't love you anymore
Dan: Since when?
Alice: Now. Just now. I don't wanna lie. I can't tell the truth. So, it's over.
Dan: It doesn't matter. I love you. None of it matters.
Alice: Too late. I don't love you anymore, goodbye. Here's the truth. So, now you can hate me. Larry fucked me all night. I enjoyed it. I came. I prefer you. Now, go.
Dan: I knew that. He told me.
Alice: You knew?
Dan: I need to hear it from you.
Alice: Why?
Dan: Because he might've been lying. I had to hear it from you.
Alice: I would've never told you cause I know you'd never forgive me.
Dan: I would. I Have.
Alice: Why did he tell you?
Dan: Because he is a bastard.
Alice: How could he?
Dan: Cause he wanted this to happen.
Alice: But, why test me?
Dan: Cause i'm an idiot!
Alice: Yes. I would've loved you forever. Now, please go.
Dan: Don't do this Alice. Talk to me.
Alice: I am talking. Fuck off.
Dan: You know I'm sorry. You misunderstand. I didn't mean to.
Alice: Yes you did.
Dan: I love you?
Alice: Where?
Dan: What?
Alice: Show me! Where is this love? I can't see it, i can't touch it. I can't feel it. I can't hear it. I can hear some words but I can't do anything with your easy words! Whatever you say, it's too late.
Dan: Please don't do this!
Alice: It's done. Now, please go. Or i'll call security.
Dan: You're not in a strip club. there is no security.
*Alice tries to get the phone*