Boy, this is not a romantic comedy but rather a disturbing look at the damage men and women can do to each other in the name of love.

Closer is brave enough to take on the underside of romance, and that makes it a brutal but bittersweet film.

Its focus on unlikable characters is less than sugar and spice on its view of romance.

There's lots of raunchy dialogue, but it's refreshing to see a film that isn't afraid to make people angry.

It was quite refreshing to see an adult film, about adult relationships, but Closer makes a few mistakes.

One is the cheesy dialogue, the other is how love is used as a weapon to turn, twist, use, and abuse each and every character.

Romance is gone, turned into a sleazy ritual to torment all involved.

The acting is great (especially Natalie Portman and Clive Owen), but the stilted dialogue debases the action, turning this into nothing but a play put onto film.

Closer is a confusing love quadrangle, with four angles and four sides.

The story relates to two couples living in London who at first fascinate and charm each other, then annoy, puzzle, and become cruel.

It's a real messy four-sided courtship with not much thought to loyalty or fidelity in their affairs. It's basically a big swapping movie.

The cast gives strong performances, but it was too raunchy for me.