Monday, August 29, 2005
DVD evening. I rarely liked that much a screenplay, especially the dialogs (screenplay by Patrick Marber, based on his acclaimed stage production). It must be such a thrill on stage!!
In Closer, Patrick Marber has created a brilliant exploration into the brutal anatomy of modern romance, where a quartet of strangers meet, fall in love, and become caught up in a web of sexual desire and betrayal. Closer is being hailed as one of the best new plays of the nineties, and as the London Observer noted, it "has wired itself into the cultural vocabulary in a way that few plays have ever done".
Strange things are the human beings. Come to think of them. We are never happy with what we have - we always want more, and we always have a hard time trying to fulfill our egotistical desire. This wish is what moves the characters in Patrick Marber's play "Closer". A group of four characters get together and falls apart. It begins when the stripper Alice (Natalie Portman) meets the journalist Dan (Jude Law). Months later they are married, he has written a book, and he meets the photographer Anna (Julia Roberts), who's taking his pictures to the book jacket. Dan grows obsessed with Anna. In an Internet chat room, while pretends to be Anna, Dan meets and have virtual "sex" with the dermatologist Larry (Clive Owen). They arrange to meet in the Zoo (in a Aquarium in the movie) on the following day. Larry goes there and by coincidence the real Anna is there. They end up getting together and married. This is when these four persons relationships are about to get more complicated. It is undeniable that what moves Marber's characters is the sexual attraction, rather than love itself. People desire each other, more than love - albeit they can say they are in love. Dan seems to be the kind of man who wants to be with as much women as possible, while Larry appears to be in love, at first. But this feeling totally disappears and becomes a feeling of revenge - sexual speaking. He wants to hurt both Anna and Dan. On the other hand, Alice has a blasé behavior at first, which ends up being an obsessive sexual relationship as time goes. Moreover, Alice develops a sick patter through the years. Anna, while seems to be a strong and independent woman at first, turns out to be fragile until when she is hurt very hard, and has to be strong again. The dramatist manages to give a sad and honest look in love and desire in our times. His characters and situations are totally believable and well developed. We can go inside people's feelings and understand what moves them. Not a single scene has flaws - everything and everyone are where they are supposed to be. A great play for our times.
This is a scene between Larry (Clive Owen) and Anna (Julia Roberts):
[Anna: Why are you dressed?
Larry: Because I think you might be about to leave me and I didn't want to be wearing a dressing gown. (...) I slept with someone in New York. A whore. I'm sorry.
A: Why did you tell me?
L: I couldn't lie to you.
A: Why not?
L: Because I love you?
(...)
A: It's fine.
L: Really? Why? Something's wrong. Tell me. Are you leaving me? (...) Because of this? (...) Why?
A: Dan.
L: "Cupid"? He's our joke.
A: I love him.
L: You're seeing him now? Since when?
A: Since my opening last year. (...) I'm disgusting.
L: You're phenomenal. You're so clever. Why did you marry me?
A: I stopped seeing him. I wanted us to work.
L: Why did you tell me you wanted children?
A: Because I did.
L: And now you want children with him?
A: Yes. I don't know.
L: But we're happy... aren't we?
(...)
L: you're gonna go live with him?
A: You stay here if you want.
L: I don't give a fuck about the spoils. You did this to me the day we met. You let me hang myself for your amusement. Why didn't you just tell me the second I walked to the door?
A: I was scared.
L: You're a coward, you spoilt bitch. Are you dressed because you thought I might hit you? What do you think I am?
A: I've been hit before.
L: Not by me! Is he a good fuck?
A: Don't do this.
L: Just answer the question. Is he good?
A: Yes.
L: Better than me?
A: Different.
L: Better?
A: Gentler.
L: What does that mean?
A: You know what it means.
L: Tell me.
A: No.
L: I treat you like a whore?
A: Sometimes.
L: Why would that be?
A: I'm sorry, you're...
L: Don't say it! Don't you fucking say: "You're too good for me". I am, but don't say it. You're making the mistake of your life. You're leaving me because you believe that you don't deserve happiness, but you do, Anna! (...) Did you have a bath because you had sex with him? So you wouldn't smell of him? So you'd feel less guilty? (...) How do you feel?
A: Guilty.
L: Did you ever love me?
A: Yes.
(...)
(...)
Larry: Did you do it here?
Anna: No?
L: Why not?
A: Do you wish we did?
L: Just tell me the truth.
A: Yes, we did it here.
L: Where?
A: There.
L: On this? We had our first fuck on this. Did you think of me? (...) When? When did you do it here? Answer the question!
A: This evening.
L: Did you come.
A: Why are you doing this?
L: 'Cause I want to know.
A: Yes, I came.
L: How many times?
A: Twice.
L: How?
A: First he went down on me, then we fucked.
L: Who was where?
A: I was on top, then he fucked me from behind.
L: That's when you came the second time.
A: God. Why is the sex so important?
L: Because I'm a fucking caveman! Did you touch yourself while he fucked you?
A: Yes.
L: You wank for him?
A: Sometimes.
L: And he does?
A: We do everything that people who have sex do!
L: You enjoy sucking him off?
A: Yes.
L: You like his cock.
A: I love it.
L: Like him coming in your face?
A: Yes!
L: What does it taste like?
A: Like you, but sweeter.
L: That's the spirit. Thank you. Thanks you for your honesty. Now fuck off and die... You fucked up slag!]
posted by Amine at 3:34 AM
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8 Comments:
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At 8/29/2005 01:53:00 PM, 
Loula la nomade
Salut Amine,
Watched the movie, that scene is maybe the best scene in the movie. The dialogue is rough, true, swift as a blade. It must be better on stage. Apart from the intensity of Clive Owen, I found everybody too passive. Maybe that was the way they were directed.
Whenever I return a DVD, I chat a bit about the movie with the lady at the counter. This one, we decided that it was too complicated (like all affairs) and that we could watch this type of affairs every Thursday evening at the Pub.
Have a great week