The Not So Good
5. Closer (2004)
In a demonstration of why there is a comments section on this page, the 5th entry in this section is Mike Nichols Closer. Terms like divisive and love it or hate it are often banded around (theyve both already been used in this article), but another of Portmans films that might just evoke them again is Closer. Now it should be said early on in that while this section deals with performances to quote the title, that sucked, it doesnt necessarily mean that Natalie Portman was bad, but more likely something about the film and her casting in such film didnt quite work. Exhibit A Closer. Portman plays Alice, a stripper, now pink wig or no pink wig and as versatile as Natalie Portman has proven she can be, she doesnt convince as a stripper. Closer is based on a play by Patrick Marber and is supposedly set in reality, where people have affairs, go on sex chat rooms and are generally horrible towards one another, a world where humanity is essentially lost, even hyper-reality feels like a stretch. The adult themes of Closer seemingly exist to be talked about at middle class dinner parties by people that dont really like films and if it wants to exist in that context, fine, it just feels like the casts (including Portman) time, efforts and talent, could be better spent. That said, Portman won Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the Golden Globes and was nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA, even rather bizarrely considering the content, a Teen Choice Award.