This was definitely different from what I thought it would be. I'm not sure that I can say I liked it, it's basically about four selfish, horrible people doing selfish, horrible things to each other. The four main actors (Jude Law, Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, & Julia Roberts) play their parts perfectly. The plot basically involves two couples and the troubles and breakups and infidelity, etc. that they go through. It sounds really average, but what makes it different is how unbelievably selfish and incapable of true love all these characters are. They cheat on each other often, sometimes out of simple desire, sometimes out of what they think is love (you get the impression that these people are incapable of love).
This is actually a pretty scary movie, in the same way Neil LaBute's movies are scary. The more time you spend with these characters who are initially repulsive become more and more familiar, and we begin to realize that these are not movie monsters, but the guy next door. These are real people, which is very scary to me. Even the scariest character in it, who commits very heinous acts (he brags to Jude Law's character that he slept with Law's girlfriend just to piss him off), is entirely realistic.
So, yeah, it's a realistic portrayal of horrible people. It's not uplifting, and you'll probably want to take a shower after you watch it, but it's definitely true-to-life, I guess.
One thing, though, just because Julia Roberts is in this and it was nominated for a couple Oscars doesn't mean this is family fare. It has some VERY harsh, very descriptive language. Much of the language is spoken for the purpose of discomforting the audience and making the characters look very negative. Just know that this is a movie that wholeheartedly earns its R-rating.
This is actually a pretty scary movie, in the same way Neil LaBute's movies are scary. The more time you spend with these characters who are initially repulsive become more and more familiar, and we begin to realize that these are not movie monsters, but the guy next door. These are real people, which is very scary to me. Even the scariest character in it, who commits very heinous acts (he brags to Jude Law's character that he slept with Law's girlfriend just to piss him off), is entirely realistic.
So, yeah, it's a realistic portrayal of horrible people. It's not uplifting, and you'll probably want to take a shower after you watch it, but it's definitely true-to-life, I guess.
One thing, though, just because Julia Roberts is in this and it was nominated for a couple Oscars doesn't mean this is family fare. It has some VERY harsh, very descriptive language. Much of the language is spoken for the purpose of discomforting the audience and making the characters look very negative. Just know that this is a movie that wholeheartedly earns its R-rating.
