New on DVD — Closer

New on DVD — Closer
by Jennifer Keenan

Closer

Now available on DVD is the Oscar nominated film, Closer. Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Clive Owen are Anna, Dan, Alice and Larry — four people whose lives are perversely connected through love, hate, passion, deception and truth. Each of these phenomenal actors gives an amazingly honest performance. Particularly Natalie Portman, who won a Golden Globe for her role as a complicated stripper. It’s definitely Portman as we’ve never seen her.

Closer is an intense film that sucks you in from the very first frame. You immediately want to know what is going to happen to these couples. It honestly depicts the agony and desperation that both sides experience during a break up, almost painfully so. Throughout their twisted, tumultuous relationships, you may ask who’s the villain here? But like life, the answer changes minute by minute.

Under Mike Nichols’s direction, this superbly written movie manages to be explicitly sexual without containing even one actual sex scene. In fact, on the surface, this movie appears to be all about sex, but if you look “closer,” it’s really a film about truth; the desire for it, the denial of it, the addiction to it and above all, its power. It asks the age-old question . . . is it better to tell the truth?

Unfortunately, the only special feature on this DVD is the music video “The Blower’s Daughter” performed by Damien Rice. This haunting song, which is heard several times throughout the film, will stay with you long after the final credits.

Full of almost every emotion known to man and too many memorable lines to count; Closer is definitely a movie that deserves a closer look.

Drama 2004 Approx. 104 mins. Rated R

Coming Soon to DVD:

Meet the Fockers with Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Barbara Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, and Ben Stiller.

A Love Song for Bobby Long featuring John Travolta, Scarlett Johansson, Gabriel Macht, Deborah Kara Unger, Dane Rhodes, David Jensen, and Clayne Crawford.

Birth starring Nicole Kidman, Cameron Bright, Danny Huston, Lauren Bacall, Alison Elliott, Arliss Howard, and Anne Heche.

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events with Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Jude Law, Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Timothy Spall, Billy Connolly, Luis Guzman, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Adams, Craig Ferguson, Jamie Harris, Kara Hoffman, Shelby Hoffman, and Dustin Hoffman.

The Assassination of Richard Nixon starring Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Don Cheadle, Jack Thompson, Brad Henke, Michael Wincott, Mykelti Williamson, April Grace, and Lily Knight.

National Treasure featuring Nicolas Cage, Harvey Keitel, Jon Voight, Diane Kruger, Christopher Plummer, Sean Bean, Justin Bartha, and Oleg Taktarov.

Rent or buy any of these movies on DVD or VHS from your local Rogers Video Store. For more information or to locate a store near you, visit their website.

Jennifer Keenan loves the movies. From big Hollywood productions to smaller independent films, she memorises every line of her favourite characters, remembers every detail from her favourite scenes. But the role Jennifer enjoys playing best is being a stay-at-home mom for her three children. If you would like to request a particular DVD for Jennifer to review, email your suggestion to editor@breadnmolasses.com