Just stumbled across Kelly Jane Torrance's review of Closer. Reasonably interesting, and she probably makes good points.

But I couldn't disagree more. I had a totally different experience.

The people who like Closer tend to like it because it's all talk, and the talk is very fierce, and people say things you aren't inclined to hear them say in movies. I think people like it because it reaches a level of emotional rather than physical violence.

My problem, though, is that it's like a lot of violent films: it's hollow, and the movie feels hemmed-in. Some movies -- like Before Sunset -- are liberated by dialogue. Closer is enslaved by it. It cranks you up and gives you no release; it's a movie with nowhere to go and takes forever getting there. Some movies stick in your head long after they're over; this is one I found myself forgetting well before the goopy theme song started signalling the end.