Re the Irreversible discussion, I have a SPOILER question to ask. I'd rather not sit through the movie again to find out, but didn't it turn out that {BEGIN SPOILER} the guy who was beaten in the bar in the first scene we see (the conclusion if the story were told cronologically) was not the same guy who committed the rape? In other words, the mob took revenge on the wrong guy? {END SPOILER} I gave up not long after fast-forwarding through most of the infamous rape scene, so there may be something I'm getting wrong, but I read that spoiler question someplace and wondered if it was really true.

Quick notes from Closer:

I really enjoyed Natalie Portman's role as Alice/Jane. Clive Owen was good as well.

Lots of dialouge, so I had to concentrate on staying more focused than I do with other movies. Alice seemed to be all over the place in her efforts to keep on top of her many trysts and lovers.


I'll try and finish what I've started with my thoughts later on. But that's off the top of my head from two weeks ago.

Alice seemed to be all over the place in her efforts to keep on top of her many trysts and lovers.

what do you mean - there was only one lover (perhaps two)

Anna (Julia Roberts) was good, but I thought that her performance was missing something... I was looking for a little more depth (maybe I'm used to that from her previous movie roles).

I think what you saw in her performance - which is unlike most of Roberts' work - a real depression and a self-loathing at the root of her character - so she seems flat in expression (in comparison to other roles she's played). I really believe Roberts is undervalued in this film. Her character was just not a really likeable one . She makes choices that are selfish, self-destructive. I think it was a great performance, finally understated, devoid of the Robert's star-quality - which served the communication of the film's character.

Personally (and upon several more viewings) I can't really too much fault with any of the actors performances. (The writing may seem more stagey- less natural for some people, it was adapted from a play - but I liked it)

Earl - I can't read white on white - so send me a PM with your spoiler IRREVERSIBLE question, and I'll try to answer it.

Kevin Kline ...hasn't been this funny since The Pirates of Penzance and I think he may have even surpassed that performance.

Nothing about PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION interests me. Not even the fat that Altman directed it.