Closer

Alice : I’m going

Daniel : I’m Sorry

Alice : Irrelevant. What are you sorry for?

Daniel : Everything

Alice : Why didn’t you tell me before?

Daniel : Cowardice

Alice : Is it because she’s successful?

Daniel : No, it’s because she doesn’t need me

Alice : Did you bring her here?

Daniel : Yes

Alice : Didn’t she get married?

Daniel : She stopped seeing me

Alice: Is that when we went to the country? To celebrate our third anniversary? Did you phone her, beg her to come back when you went for your long, lonely walks?

Daniel : Yes

Anna : You’re a piece of shit

Daniel : Deception is brutal. I’m not pretending otherwise

Anna :How? How does it work? How do you do this to someone?

Daniel : *Shrug

Anna : Not good enough.

Daniel : I fell in love with her, Alice.

Alice : Oh, 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 don’t know when your moment was, but I bet you there was one. I’m going

Daniel : It’s not safe out there

Anna : And it’s safe in here?

Daniel : What about your things?

Anna : I don’t need things

Daniel : Where would you go?

Anna : Disappear

I have always liked the movie Closer. Well, not always actually. I first watched it when I was a student. I was drawn to the trailer, because of the song (the soundtrack : The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice). Then, no one wanted to watch it with me at the theater, so I waited until a network pick it up. It was shown on our campus channel.

I have to say, the first time I watched it, it didn't appeal to me that much. Other than the soundtrack, I found the movie was rather slow and the characters are too twisted that it's tiring watching them. Later though, when a lot of networks show it on their channel, I started to really watch it and started to really like it.

The movie is revolved around 4 major characters: Anna, Daniel, Alice & Larry. Daniel was with Alice when he met Anna and fell in love with her. Knowing that he has a girlfriend, Anna refused to have anything to do with Daniel. Daniel, upset with Anna's rejection, had played a prank on her by sending Larry. Anna ended up falling for Larry and they got married.

Before they got married however, Anna hosted her art gallery and met Daniel (who came with Alice) again. This time, although both were not single, were attracted to each other and started having an affair. The affair lasted even after Anna got married to Larry.

Finally, they decided to end their relationship with their partners and be together exclusively. Both Alice and Larry was hugely disappointed with this revelation and both left the relationship.

Well, the story didn't stop there. In fact, the ending was so good I keep on watching it over and over again when I was studying. When I got back to Malaysia, I keep on forgetting to download the movie. Several months ago I did, and I have been watching it ever since.

What makes it so good?

The plot is of course very interesting, a very deep look into relationships and personality. A lot of people find themselves relating to at least one of the characters.

I have always liked Alice but I relate to Anna the most. I always think Alice is the most normal ones but when I googled, I was surprised to find that a lot of people think Alice is the one that with a disturbed personality.

I've liked her because she seems secure enough and represent a strong woman. Whereas Anna, though I was relating more to her; is weak, insecure and is not able to feel happy unless she has some drama in her life. Normal life won't satisfy her.

When I have watched it again though, I agree, Alice looks normal on the surface, but she has some serious personality issues. She is actually insecure but she put a strong front. If you have watched this before, watch the early part of the movie again. Alice is walking at the start of the movie just as she walks at the end of the movie. She does that all the time. She flies when she's had enough and no one ever really know her. That's not a way to live a life.

But of course, none of the characters live a healthy lifestyle, emotionally. But they exist everyday in our life. The character might be a little exaggerated but I think a part of them exists a little bit in us without us realizing it.

You know a movie is good when you can't stop thinking about it. For the past few days, I keep on thinking, what makes the people react the way they did in this movie, even in real world. Why head there when you know it's not good for you. I am also asking this for myself. Why we do things that we do even when we know the good thing is only temporary?