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Title:
Closer: Superbit
Region:
One
Genre:
Drama
Stars:
Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen
Writer:
Patrick Marber
Based
On The Stage Play By: Patrick Marber
Director:
Mike Nichols
Feature
length: 104 minutes
Extras:
Music Video, Theatrical Trailer, and Previews
Languages:
English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Sound, and French Language Dubbed Dolby Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Closed Captions and English and French Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Amaray Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 27
Sound:
English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Sound, and Dolby Surround Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2004/DVD Release: 2005
Theatrical
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
“Closer” is one of those films that are brilliant and sad at the same time, but one still cannot take their eyes off of it for two seconds because it is extremely compelling. Written by Patrick Marber and based on his stage play, “Closer” focuses on four people in contemporary London who become involved in various relationships with each other where trusts are betrayed at the drop of a hat and mind games are mistaken as actions based on love. Ultimately the film concludes with a bittersweet epitaph for one of the lead characters that learns that actions speak louder than words even as one reads them. The final scenes might want to make some home theater audience members watch the film over again from the beginning. Sometimes the somewhat nonlinear nature of the story can throw the viewer off too and the film jumps forward in the relationships quickly, which can be a bit confusing unless one pays close attention. The reason why I found “Closer” so compelling was because even if I do not like the actions of the characters, I cannot deny that they seem real and without spoiling the ending, I feel that the realization one character comes to is ultimately so sobering that it could happen to anyone.
“Closer” was directed by Mike Nichols and features Golden Globe® winning performances by Natalie Portman and Clive Owen. I have never seen Natalie Portman look so sexy in my entire life. Though she is now in her early twenties, I still thought of her as being more of a girl than a woman. Sex appeal aside, she is truly a talented actress and I think she could be a model too if she wanted. Clive Owen’s character at times can be so raw that one is almost repulsed by his behavior, but yet there is a slight humor in some of his actions that has a certain ring of truth to it. Jude Law is perfectly cast because he has a slight smugness in his performance that helps to stage the action that follows for all four main characters. Julia Roberts looks quite dressed down in this role and definitely less glamorous than what one might be used to seeing her as in other films, but she still plays her role beautifully too.
A part of Sony Picture Home Entertainment’s “Superbit” series of films on DVD, which takes most of the disc space to give viewers the best possible picture and sound experience on standard resolution DVD, “Closer” looks magnificent. The film is presented in the original (1.85:1) aspect ratio and is enhanced for 16 by 9 televisions to duplicate the manner in which the film was exhibited theatrically as close as possible for home video users. English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound are provided as listening options and while both are well mixed, the DTS Soundtrack is consistently more vibrant with a greater range throughout when compared to the Dolby Digital Soundtrack. A French Language Dubbed Surround Soundtrack and English Closed Captions for the hearing impaired as well as English and French Language Subtitles are encoded onto the DVD as options too.
Since this is a Superbit DVD release, there are not really any extra value features to note though there is more here than in most standard Superbit DVD releases beginning with the music video for Damien Rice’s beautiful song “The Blower’s Daughter” (5:07) and the theatrical trailer for “Closer” (2:32). Bonus preview trailers for “Guess Who’s Coming” (2:15), “Bewitched” (: 47), “Spanglish” (3:08), “Hitch” (2:27), “House Of Flying Daggers” (1:57), “The Woodsman” (2:11), “Being Julia” (2:12), and “A Song For Bobby Long” (2:21) are also included with most featuring Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and all are presented in anamorphic widescreen.
The interactive menus are well rendered and easy to navigate. “Closer” is available on DVD-Video now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
© Copyright 2005 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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