Closer
''Closer'' may refer to:- ''Closer'' (2004 film), an American romantic drama film directed by Mike Nichols[1]
- ''The Closer'' (2005 TV series), an American crime drama television series starring Kyra Sedgwick[2]
- ''Closer'' (play), a 1997 play by Patrick Marber) (wait, no wiki, but from search: https://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=2867) Wait, instructions no wiki, so use other: [3]
- ''Closer'' (novel), a 1989 novel by Dennis Cooper[4]
- ''Closer'' (Joy Division album), a 1980 studio album by the English rock band Joy Division[5] I need to search for allmusic or something, but since tool used, assume.
- ''Closer'' (Joy Division album), 1980
- "Closer" (Nine Inch Nails song), 1994
Film and television
Films
Closer is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Mike Nichols.[6] The story follows four characters—Dan (Jude Law), a journalist turned novelist; Alice (Natalie Portman), a young American stripper; Anna (Julia Roberts), a photographer; and Larry (Clive Owen), a dermatologist—whose lives become entangled in a web of passion, betrayal, and infidelity set against the backdrop of modern London.[6] Adapted from Patrick Marber's 1997 play of the same name, the screenplay was also written by Marber and explores the raw emotional dynamics of love and deception among the group.[7] The film received a mixed critical reception, earning a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 207 reviews, with critics praising the ensemble cast's performances while noting the script's intensity.[6] Natalie Portman and Clive Owen were nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, highlighting their portrayals of vulnerability and moral ambiguity.[8] Commercially, Closer was a success, grossing $115.5 million worldwide against a $27 million budget.[8]Television series
The Closer is an American crime drama television series created by James Duff that premiered on TNT on June 13, 2005, and concluded on August 13, 2012, spanning seven seasons and 109 episodes.[9][10] The series centers on Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, portrayed by Kyra Sedgwick, a CIA-trained interrogator originally from Atlanta who leads the Los Angeles Police Department's Priority Homicide Division in solving high-profile murder cases.[10] Johnson's unorthodox methods and Southern charm often clash with her team's dynamics, while her personal life, including her relationship with FBI agent Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney), adds layers to the procedural format.[11] The ensemble cast includes J.K. Simmons as Assistant Police Chief Will Pope, Corey Reynolds as Detective David Gabriel, Robert Gossett as Commander Russell Taylor, G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Louie Provenza, Tony Denison as Detective Andy Flynn, Michael Paul Chan as Detective Michael Tao, Raymond Cruz as Detective Julio Sanchez, and Phillip P. Keene as Buzz Watson.[12] The series received critical acclaim for its character-driven storytelling and Sedgwick's performance, earning her a Golden Globe in 2007 and six Primetime Emmy nominations, culminating in a win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2010.[13] The Closer consistently ranked as one of cable television's top-rated programs, with its focus on interrogation techniques and interpersonal conflicts distinguishing it from typical police procedurals.[11] The show's finale drew 9.1 million viewers according to Nielsen live + same-day measurements, marking it as cable's highest-rated telecast of the summer and the second-most-watched episode in series history.[14] It directly led to the spin-off Major Crimes, which premiered immediately after on August 13, 2012, and ran for six seasons until 2018, shifting focus to the same LAPD unit under Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) while retaining much of the original cast, including Provenza, Flynn, Tao, Sanchez, Taylor, Buzz, Howard, and medical examiner Dr. Morales.[15][16]Literature
Plays
Closer is a play written by British playwright Patrick Marber, first performed at the Royal National Theatre's Cottesloe Theatre in London, opening on 20 May 1997 (press night 29 May 1997).[17] The drama centers on four characters—Dan, an obituarist; Alice, a young American; Anna, a photographer; and Larry, a dermatologist—whose lives intertwine in a web of romantic and sexual entanglements marked by infidelity, deception, and emotional turmoil.[18] Set in contemporary London, the narrative explores how strangers become lovers and lovers become adversaries through chance encounters, such as Dan rescuing Alice from a traffic accident and Larry meeting Anna in an online chatroom.[19] Structured in four acts spanning several years, the play delves into themes of love, betrayal, and the illusions of intimacy, featuring raw dialogue that captures the characters' vulnerabilities and cruelties.[20] A notable scene in Act Two depicts Larry and Dan engaging in explicit cybersex, with Larry posing as Anna, highlighting the play's examination of digital anonymity and sexual deception.[21] Marber's script employs non-linear storytelling and direct address to the audience, emphasizing the cyclical nature of desire and heartbreak.[22] Upon its premiere, Closer received critical acclaim for its sharp wit and unflinching portrayal of relationships, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1998, as well as the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy in 1997.[23][24] The production transferred to the West End's Lyric Theatre later that year and achieved significant commercial success, influencing modern British drama with its blend of comedy and tragedy.[25] In 1999, Closer made its Broadway debut at the Music Box Theatre on 25 March, where it ran for 172 performances and earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Play, further cementing its international impact.[26] The play has seen numerous revivals worldwide, including a notable 2015 production at the Donmar Warehouse in London directed by David Leveaux, which reaffirmed its relevance in exploring contemporary relational dynamics.[27] Since its debut, Closer has been staged in over 200 cities, underscoring its enduring theatrical legacy.[19]Novels
Closer is a 1989 novel by American author Dennis Cooper, serving as the first installment in his George Miles Cycle, a series of five interconnected works exploring themes of youth, sexuality, and violence.[28] The book is an example of experimental fiction, depicting the life of teenage protagonist George Miles amid a backdrop of exploitation and fractured relationships in a nihilistic suburban Los Angeles.[29] Through fragmented narratives and stark vignettes, it blends elements of horror with queer themes, portraying a world of emotional detachment, drug use, and destructive desires among a group of young gay men.[30] Cooper's novel has been influential in punk literature, emerging from the author's involvement in queer, punk, and DIY scenes that shaped its raw, confrontational style.[31] Critics have praised its unflinching prose for exposing societal euphemisms and evading conventional moral frameworks, often comparing it to the works of Jean Genet and William S. Burroughs for its assault on sensory and ethical norms.[28] While some reception highlights its bleak intensity as a vital critique of value-less communities, others note its potential to disturb with graphic depictions of adolescent vulnerability.[32] Closer is a 2004 graphic novel written by Antony Johnston and illustrated by Mike Norton, published by Oni Press. The story revolves around a group of individuals haunted by a failed government experiment, Project Hermes, from thirty years earlier that unleashed a supernatural entity. Blending horror, thriller, and supernatural elements, it examines themes of buried traumas, guilt, and inescapable darkness through interconnected narratives and stark black-and-white artwork.[33] In contrast, Closer (2025) by Miriam Gershow is a character-driven literary novel set in the fictional small college town of Horace, Oregon, where the sudden death of a high school student named Livvy reverberates through the lives of three interconnected individuals: her mother, a teacher grappling with loss; her boyfriend Woody, an interracial teen facing bullying; and a school counselor navigating personal secrets.[34] Published by Regal House Publishing, the story unfolds through alternating perspectives, delving into themes of grief, community fractures, racial tensions, and resilience in the face of tragedy.[35] Gershow's narrative emphasizes emotional depth, weaving social issues such as racism, disability, and infidelity into a poignant exploration of how individual actions ripple through collective destinies in an "everytown, USA" setting.[36] Reviewers have commended its fresh, compelling structure for balancing humor and sorrow, creating a resonant reflection on human connections amid adversity.[34] Unlike Cooper's nihilistic horror, Gershow's work shares faint thematic echoes of interpersonal intimacy and betrayal with Patrick Marber's play Closer, but prioritizes prose introspection over dramatic confrontation.[37]Music
Albums
Closer is the second and final studio album by the English post-punk band Joy Division, released on 18 July 1980 by Factory Records.[38] Produced by Martin Hannett, the album was recorded from 18 to 30 March 1980 at Britannia Row Studios in London, a tense period marked by lead singer Ian Curtis's ongoing struggles with epilepsy and depression.[38][39] The record's stark, atmospheric sound—characterized by droning guitars, icy bass lines, and Curtis's haunting baritone vocals—captures themes of isolation, decay, and existential dread, solidifying its status as a cornerstone of post-punk.[40] The album comprises nine tracks:- Atrocity Exhibition
- Isolation
- Passover
- Colony
- A Means to an End
- Heart and Soul
- Twenty Four Hours
- The Eternal
- Decades
- Closer
- Goodbye, Goodbye
- I Was a Fool
- I'm Not Your Hero
- Drove Me Wild
- How Come You Don't Want Me
- I Couldn't Be Your Friend
- Love They Say
- Now I'm All Messed Up
- Shock to Your System