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	Podcast:		Podcast Like It's 1999
	Episode:		69: Closer with Sean Fennessey
	Category:		TV & Film
	Duration:		01:18:49
	Publish Date:		2025-11-21 08:00:00
	Description:		This week, we continue our Mike Nichols miniseries with a deep dive into Closer (2004), joined by Sean Fennessey of The Big Picture. It’s a film that captivated many of us in our early 20s only to unravel under rewatch with age, perspective, and healthier emotional boundaries. We unpack why Closer once felt like “grown-up cinema,” how its theatrical origins shape its structure, and why its four leads Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen are all performing at maximum intensity inside a script that might not deserve them. From the infamous strip-club scene to the messy power dynamics, contradictions, and emotional violence embedded in Patrick Marber’s writing, we ask the question: does any of this actually work? Sean brings insight into Nichols’ career, the film’s mid-2000s cultural footprint (including its unexpected influence on emo/screamo lyrics), and the era’s attempt to manufacture Jude Law into Hollywood’s next megastar. And yes, we talk about Damien Rice, the Oscars, and why Closer remains a fascinating artistic contradiction: a film full of great performances inside a story that collapses under scrutiny. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
	Total Play:		0