Closer: Sex and Love are Two Different Things

I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. The beginning was weak, because Natalie Portman is a little obnoxious, but with the help of other good actors and an interesting script everything panned out. Four things i found most interesting:

1) Sex and love, in our modern American culture, do not come hand in hand. Im not sure if they come as a pair in any culture, but this movie shows how sex is a tool of manipulation for trust and deceit. Love is the holy grail or a cloudy destiny for us lone wanderers. There was no instance during this film where the sex was selfless.

2) Strong women fall for men who appear good natured with potential. These two female characters were independent and thoughtful. They used sex but were also used by sex. Maybe I am biased but the females seem more innocent in this intimacy crisis. The men on the other hand clearly desire love, or what they think love might mean, but find themselves in a position of power without asking for it, and then they use it. I like when Julia Robert's character says "why does the sex matter?" and clive Owen says "because im a caveman!" Maybe its cliche but I think it touches on a common difference between the male and the female behavior.

3) Despite her mediocre acting talents, Portman pulls off an great character that is only revealed at the end. Her character's strength, which is doubted at the beginning, is proven to be the most resilient in the end. All the while, Robert's character, when at the start she appears confident and unneedy, by the end, has given up any hope of self-reliance. Jude Law is surprisingly good at acting.

4) People want what they can't have! thats too bad...

I guess there is a fifth point: Natalie is super hot in this move, Julia too. The men, who ordinarily I would find attractive, pale in comparison to these two beauties.