---
title: "Closer: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/closer/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/closer"
critics_score: 66
critics_reviews: 11
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Closer (2004): what the critics said

Critics' score 66 from 11 reviews: 7 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative.

## Empire — Olly Richards

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Richards praises the film as a sharply voiced, structurally daring drama. He singles out Jude Law’s performance as its anchor, alongside the ensemble’s award-calibre work.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/closer-review/)

## The AV Club — Scott Tobias

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2004. 

Tobias finds the film a potent, sardonic return to the provocative style of Nichols’s early work. He praises its uncompromising examination of betrayal and the difficulty of lasting love.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/closer-1798200274)

## Total Film — Total Film

Rating 4/5. 14 January 2005. 

The review finds the film cynical but compelling, with its crackling script, deft direction and strong cast making it a likely awards contender. It particularly praises Natalie Portman's performance, while noting that Jude Law is less convincing in his role.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/closer-review/)

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Rating 3/4. 3 December 2004. 

Ebert gives the film a measured, mixed-positive review. He singles out the sharp dialogue and the performances of its four leads.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/closer-2004)

## The New York Times — A. O. Scott

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 3 December 2004. 

Scott presents the film as a deft adaptation, indicating a favorable verdict. He singles out its adaptation of Patrick Marber’s well-known play for praise.

[Read the review](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/videopages/2004/12/03/movies/20041203_mm_CLOSER_VIDEO.html)

## Radio Times — Adam Smith

Rating 3/5. 

The review finds the drama’s direction elegant but its dialogue stagey. It praises the performances, singling out Clive Owen as the standout.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-nt5x22/closer/)

## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez

Rating 2/4. 7 July 2004. 

Gonzalez dismisses the film as precious, artificial, and middlebrow rather than genuinely complex. He praises Julia Roberts and Jude Law for performances that feel raw and earthy amid the film’s synthetic characters.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/closer/)

## The New Yorker

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic finds the film more civilized and less acidic than the play, with a mixed overall effect. Portman and Owen are singled out for delivering their lines with relish, while the film’s pace sometimes overwhelms the performances.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/closer)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2005. 

Bradshaw finds the adaptation dull, saying its stage-born tensions and confrontations wilt on screen. He singles out Clive Owen as the only cast member who feels emotionally real.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_review/0,4267,1389604,00.html)

## Eye for Film — Chris

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 February 2008. 

The critic strongly recommends the film, while warning that its abrasive sexual arguments will not suit everyone. They especially praise the four lead performances and the tightly scripted, psychologically incisive writing.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/closer-film-review-by-chris)

## Collider — Liam Gaughan

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 23 February 2023. 

The critic finds Closer a sharp satire that makes its flawed characters difficult not to empathize with. They single out its conversations and Natalie Portman’s pink-wig performance as revealing the performative nature of relationships.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/closer-movie/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/closer.md