The Closer You Get (2000)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Pretty Good

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

good back-story, and good acting

Even though my most favorite movies are thrillers and drama's, I must say that from time to time I can really look forward to a comedy. Life is more than misery or thrills alone, there should be time for laughter as well, so why should my choice of movies be any different? But when looking for comedies, I do have certain standards. I hate toilet humor and the story may be silly, but still has to be of a decent quality. If I'm honest, than I must say that I don't find that too often. The latest (often American) comedies are all full of those dreaded jokes about pee, vomit, sperm,... and too often I end up very disappointed in them. That's also the reason why I prefer British comedies. I like their, often very dry, humor and their jokes don't necessarily have to be about some kind of bodily function."The Closer You Get" is situated in an isolated village in Ireland. Because the girls in their village aren't to their taste, a bunch of young man send an ad to the Miami Herald, inviting fit and enticing American women between the ages of 20 and 21, to come to the local dance. But when the girls they all hoped for don't come and the local girls seem to have more success with men from outside the village, the local men start to realize that some of their 'own' girls might not be that bad after all. Others however chose different solutions like ordering a lot of porn...Like so often with comedies, I'm sure that there are many people who don't like it all that much. Humor is one of the most difficult parts of the entertainment business and not everybody has the same taste. Personally I had a really good laugh with this movie, but when I see some other comments on this website, it's getting very clear to me that not everybody thinks about it like that. I guess this is a comedy that will appeal most to the people who love the typical British humor, so if you aren't into that kind of jokes, you better don't give this movie a try. If you are looking for a very special, deep or touching story, than this isn't the best movie for you either. The story is quite simple, but efficient. It doesn't really know any extreme highs or lows, but it works. The characters are believable, the situations are still recognizable...All in all this is a very decent comedy with some good acting and an OK story. But most important is the amount of laughter that it offers and for me that was more than enough. I had a really good time with this movie and that's why I give it a 7.5/10.

I loved this movie. I've seen all the little English and Irish movies mentioned in previous user comments, and liked them all. Yeah, movies like this stereotype Irish people, but in a sweet way. What's wrong with spending an hour and a half with stereotypes that you like? (and don't get me wrong - I like to see Americans stereotyped in sweet movies too). It was a very pleasant 90 minutes in my life. I liked all the characters but especially Kieran, who was good-looking (especially before his first appointment with Giovanni) and lovable in his oafishness.And I'm not some kind of "idjit" - I'm a smart and cosmopolitan American who likes to kick back with some of "the old country," to get away from the hectic modern life. I don't see these people's lives as being bleak. After living all my life in shallow, depersonalized, over-commercialized, over-technologized suburban McCalifornia, I'd like to move somewhere like that. Nowhere I've lived would the postmistress care enough to withhold mail she thought wouldn't be good for you. I've never experienced an entire group of people not related to me knowing my private business. Yeah, I'm sure it would be intrusive and obnoxious, but what a nice change. It's all a matter of perspective.(Edit in 2016): I needed to relax one night and watched this movie again. Still very charming, although it definitely was weird watching Professor Qu-Qu-Quirrell being cute!

There is nothing spectacular in this small movie. In a small Irish village, the guys try to break the limits of their boredom and celibacy, by putting an ad for brides in an American paper. While the American brides almost never show up, the boys learn a few lessons in life, and especially that happiness might be at much closer reach than it appears. No surprises, good acting, discrete humor, there is nothing unpleasant in this film. This is minor entertainment, but by no means a film to avoid.

This is a quaint and charming little comedy about life and love in rural northwestern Ireland. The question remains, how many rural Irish comedies can we watch before the material starts to get stale. The story begins with the single men of this little town complaining that the women are substandard and there are no marriage prospects. After downing far too many pints, they decide to place an advertisement in the Miami Herald to see if they can induce some American women to come to Ireland to the big town dance. When the townswomen get wind of the scheme, they invite some Spanish fishermen to the same dance. The result is a succession of comical situations where everyone makes fools of themselves in anticipation of the big day. The net result of all this is the lesson Dorothy learned when she left Kansas; that when you are looking for your heart's desire, you don't have to look any further than your own backyard. Aileen Ritchie's directorial debut was marked by some nice photography of well-selected locations and an alluring portrayal of the local color and appeal. The characters all seemed very genuine and unaffected; the way country folks generally are regardless of national origin. The scenes leading up to the dance work well, but the film bogs down after the dance as the tone changes from mirthful to dramatic. The acting was generally good with a couple of standouts. Ian Hart stole the show as Kieran the headstrong town butcher. He was simultaneously affable and obnoxious. His character's complete obliviousness to how ridiculous he was gave Hart ample opportunity to become a laugh magnet. Niahm Cusack was also enchanting as Kate, mixing mischievousness with romantic appeal to create a delightful character.I rated this film a 7/10. It is very light fare, silly enough that it will get a chuckle or two out of almost everyone.