The Closer You Get
The Closer You Get
| 27 December 2000 (USA)
The Closer You Get Trailers

Irish lads send an ad to the Miami Herald inviting fit and enticing women, between the ages of 20 and 21, to live in their isolated Donegal village. The whole town knows about the ad, and it sharpens everyone's sense of the opportunities for happiness already at hand. Kate, a publican with a young daughter, is separating from her husband and catches the eye of a bachelor sheep farmer. Kieran the butcher realizes that his assistant Siobhan is comely, and then he discovers she's fiery as well. Ollie sends off for Dutch skin magazines that the village postmistress won't release to him. The men, and women, find counsel in their movie-loving priest. Will anyone answer the ad?

Reviews
Redwarmin

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

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Nonureva

Really Surprised!

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Ploydsge

just watch it!

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Griff Lees

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

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Dermot-6

This film should not be viewed by Irish people. It portrays them as thick, ignorant people who couldn't catch a cold. Basically it's about a bunch of lads in County Donegal who want to find some women, so they advertise in the Miami Herald for American women "to share in the outdoor life.... Indoor facilities also available".Just about sat through it in the cinema. It's Ok but that's all the praise I'm giving it. Good luck to yis.

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Robin Kelly

It's an interesting premise but the execution is poor. This is a well-made bad film, which is quite frustrating. If I had to single out anything it's the story. Sometimes a very poor predictable plot will be successful (witness the Full Monty from the same producer) but this time it is devoid of charm and flops badly. I don't need formulaic traditional three-act structures but the characters need to be solid and true. The three main relationships at the centre of the film offer conflict but no drama because the characters are under-developed and so their actions are unconvincing.Ideally the accents would be more accessible for an international audience while still being authentic. I say accents but it's really only one actor I had a problem with.There were a couple of laugh out loud moments in the film and it generated a few smiles but I was surprised to see it described as a comedy on IMDB. I honestly don't think it was written as one.I'm afraid I can't think of a single reason to see this film and I've really tried to, honestly.

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Chris_Docker

A beautiful and worthy film, set in a small and fairly isolated village in Ireland, yet, like the village and its inhabitants, the film is also, sadly, rather forgettable. The people living in this tiny community, whilst optimistic, charismatic and full of life, also realize the dead-end nature of their situation. The men long to travel and meet beautiful women in exotic places. They put an ad in an American publication hoping to attract women to join them for a local dance, but the women fare rather better by attracting the local Spanish fishermen. The movie could easily have degenerated into Hollywood-style unbelievability but it resists the temptation. The characters, their lives, and how they develop are convincing and moving. The title refers to missing what is important (in love and life) when it is under your nose. A lovely feelgood movie.

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Bullingdon

I saw "The Closer You Get" at a school screening recently and I must say that it didn't surprise or challenge me. I wasn't expecting "Citizen Cane" in Ireland but I was hoping for some genuine moments of humanity and of course some silly banter. But the comic moments seemed perfunctory and forced and the dramatic moments didn't quite have the gravity that they needed. The story takes place in a small sea side town in Ireland where the male inhabitants decide to invite beautiful women from America over to their town so they can get some foreign variety in their lives. The women get a hold of this news and cleverly play off the men's futile effort.Sadly "The Closer You Get" only a few minutes to introduce the plot then we have to sit through over an hour and a half for the bland execution. I really wanted to get to know these colorful characters better in the first act so that I could follow them through this silly plot.It's official now. We have this Irish small town comedy genre on our hands and there's no end in sight. It was fresh at first but come on people we need some variety in plot structure by now. I guess these Irish films are more sincere and have their hearts in all the right places, which is more than I can say for those pesky teen flicks. But when you've watched "The Commitments," "The Matchmaker," "The Full Monty," and "Waking Ned Divine," there innocuous charm quickly becomes annoying. I give "The Closer You Get" a six out of ten.

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