Closer You Get, The

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Entertainment: +2

Content: -1 1/2

In a small village on the western coast of Ireland, young bachelors are unhappy with the dwindling crop of local, not-too-glamorous, Irish "country girls." So they place an ad in a Miami Florida newspaper inviting American women to visit the village and join in a gala dance. The young men eagerly wait for women from America to arrive, and some of them meet the bus every day to greet the hoped for visitors. The bachelors most active in promoting this scheme are Ollie (Pat Shortt) and his friend Kieran, played by popular Irish actor Ian Hart. But Siobhan (Cathleen Bradley), the young woman working in Kierans butcher shop, has a crush on him. Along with other women in the village, she decides to thwart the mens plans by having a separate celebration. The activities of the young men making arrangements for the arrival of their female visitors are engaging and humorous, and the womens retaliation is equally as fun and clever. Though not as funny as last years WAKING NED DEVINE, this comedy has its share of laughs and pathos.

"The grass is greener on the other side, theme is familiar but some of the young bachelors discover that the local women are a real treasure. And poignant romances develop between some of the bachelors and local lasses. The minister counsels the men concerning their behavior with the expected female visitors. He also counsels Kierans brother about expressing his feelings to a local Irish lady. But the bachelors definitely have sex on their minds, and their conversations are sometimes crude and often sexually explicit. Ollie anxiously waits for the American women but also has an implied, condoned sexual encounter with an older Irish lady in a wagon full of hay. Kieran has an offensive habit of regularly scratching his crotch and some of the men use obscenities and profanities freely. However, because of the characters thick Irish brogue, they are sometimes difficult to understand. And, of course, beer and whiskey flow freely in the towns pub. Although the films theme is commendable, explicit sexual dialogue, a condoned implied promiscuous affair, and foul language prevent THE CLOSER YOU GET from getting Previews recommendation.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor:
Fox Searchlight Pictures, 10201 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Several (5) times: All Mild (language counts are close estimate due to heavy accents)

Obscene Language: Several (7) times F-word 1, s-word 3, Other 3

Profanity: Several (6) times - Regular 3 (J, G, Gsake), Exclamatory 3 (OMG)

Violence: Few times Moderate (fist fight, man struck in face-bloody)

Sex: Implied once (couple in wagon - no nudity)

Nudity: None; Near Nudity - Few times (scantily clad/ sensual women in magazine, man in undershorts)

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Many times Moderate (Man refers to himself as seducing machine, discussions of sex, man visits prostitute but has no sex, passionate kiss, men sing crude suggestive song, man describes interest in sex in poetic terms)

Drugs: Many times (frequent beer drinking in bars, pubs and at dance, men brew and drink whiskey, men pass out after drinking, drunkenness)

Other: Pastor watches suggestive movie alone, girls ask mother about breasts, man scratches crotch frequently, men eat oysters for sexual purposes, pastor counsels men about women

Running Time: 92 minutes
Intended Audience: Older teens and adults


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