Charles Whittlesey: Come Closer at Your Own Risk

Closer is one of the most depressing movie I've ever seen--and one of the best. Strange as it sounds, it's not far off. The dialogue is brilliant, the acting is superb, the characters' lives are riveting, but it's depressing to watch these four smart, beautiful people abuse each other in almost every conceivable way--opening themselves up only to be clawed apart from the inside and then dealing the same amount of damage in return.

It reminds me of the advice given by the author of Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart, who says that any young person's education should include learning how to recognize people who will make you utterly miserable if you get too close to them. He also states that in any relationship what counts is what people DO and not what they say. People say all kinds of things, but much of it bears little resemblance to their actions. These four characters talk about love all the time but they ACT like they hate each other. They certainly understand passion and sex, but it's clear from their actions they know absolutely nothing about love.

I suppose a person should see this movie in the spirit of watching documentaries about AIDS or movies about the Holocaust--they give you a tour through the darkest regions of the human soul without having to make the journey yourself--so you can take away the lessons without the emotional scars. Beyond that, it's hard to find a reason to view Closer. Approach it with care; like any relationship, it's wise to know what you're getting into beforehand.