Closer

This sexually charged drama of cross-pollinating infidelity derives all of its fascination from the nitty-gritty, down-and-dirty character nuances brought to life with discomforting veracity by its fearsome foursome of fine actors. The boomeranging romantic lives of an aloof photographer (Julia Roberts), a smarmy doctor (Oscar nominee Clive Owen), a failed novelist (Jude Law), and a punkette-lite stripper blowing with the wind (Oscar nominee Natalie Portman) are shaped by a series of dates, marriages, illicit liaisons, breakups, and jealous traps as director Mike Nichols leaps forward to pivotal episodes over several years of their lives. The cunning direction of the man behind The Graduate, Carnal Knowledge and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf viscerally plugs into raw and sensitive areas of the human psyche, but several false moments feel like hurdles for the actors, as well as the audience. The men are such vividly base creatures (single-minded, quick to become smitten, enraged, forlorn, and vengeful) that--by comparison--the female characters, while just as screwed up, seem neglected by a script that never truly explores their emotions or motivations. But as the title implies, the closer Closer gets to all four people, the more absorbing their internal (and intermingling) turmoil becomes. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include the music video “The Blower’s Daughter” by Damien Rice and trailers. Bottom line: since this is one of Sony's Superbit releases--maximizing video and audio qualities--the extras for this acting powerhouse are skimpy.] (R. Blackwelder)