Mike Nichols' Film "Closer"
Honesty's Triumph
Reviewer: John P Bernat (Kingsport, TN USA) - See all my reviews
My generation believed that honesty would create happiness and fulfillment. This movie argues that it's ever so much better to lie. If we seek authenticity in our relationships, where does that inevitably get us??
A step further: pursuit of honesty will destroy the fragile balance created by love. And yet "true love" cannot exist in a framework of deception.
The scenarios in this movie are such that the only possible payoff for honesty is destruction. If we care about people, we'll lie to them to make them feel better and never ask for complete honesty, because it's too cruel. Mike Nichols has loved these thematics for a long time - take a look at "Carnal Knowledge," among other films of his, for some clues. He must have loved it when he first read this play.
If, when we fall in love, we fall in love with our own reflection, we fall in love with a lie. Like the poem, "I love you not for who you are, but for who I am when I am with you."
Romance.
It's hard to watch this movie, indeed. That would be endurable, though, if there was something to learn. So, I guess by its effective absence, the learning is this:
Love someone, and don't ask questions. Give of yourself freely and expect nothing back. If they feel a compelling need to confess something, listen with an attitude of complete, unconditional forgiveness. And, for God's sake, forgive.
If you forget these things, watch this movie again and repeat as necessary.
Reviewer: John P Bernat (Kingsport, TN USA) - See all my reviews
My generation believed that honesty would create happiness and fulfillment. This movie argues that it's ever so much better to lie. If we seek authenticity in our relationships, where does that inevitably get us??
A step further: pursuit of honesty will destroy the fragile balance created by love. And yet "true love" cannot exist in a framework of deception.
The scenarios in this movie are such that the only possible payoff for honesty is destruction. If we care about people, we'll lie to them to make them feel better and never ask for complete honesty, because it's too cruel. Mike Nichols has loved these thematics for a long time - take a look at "Carnal Knowledge," among other films of his, for some clues. He must have loved it when he first read this play.
If, when we fall in love, we fall in love with our own reflection, we fall in love with a lie. Like the poem, "I love you not for who you are, but for who I am when I am with you."
Romance.
It's hard to watch this movie, indeed. That would be endurable, though, if there was something to learn. So, I guess by its effective absence, the learning is this:
Love someone, and don't ask questions. Give of yourself freely and expect nothing back. If they feel a compelling need to confess something, listen with an attitude of complete, unconditional forgiveness. And, for God's sake, forgive.
If you forget these things, watch this movie again and repeat as necessary.
posted by John Bernat @ 10:05 AM
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