The Closer You Get (2000)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

The eternal story of the misunderstandings between men and women. A priest in a small Irish town tries to attract a larger audience by showing movies and accidentally shows one depicting what all men think is the perfect woman (Bo Derrick in 10) instead of the Ten Commandments. The sight of Bo awakens the urges in the local men who think that they are being deprived of the kind of women they think they want. They conspire to advertise for American women (between the ages of 20 and 21) with the "credentials" of Bo and there is an hilarious vigilance at the bus stop to wait for the American women to arrive. These shenanigans immediately raises the ire of the local girls who invent their own way to get stimulation by inviting some passing Spanish sailors to a dance. Needless to say they don't last long. Perfect example of "I can but you can't". As the boys continue to wait at the bus stop each day they begin to realise that their local women are becoming more attractive. All men should see this movie if they have a need to understand what they are doing wrong when women give them the cold shoulder. More often than not it's of their own making and communication can break down because the woman might not be able to express herself adequately as in this wonderful, funny, heartwarming movie.

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 received this VHS as a gift from my boyfriend. I had no idea how much I'd enjoy it. Beautiful scenery, excellent acting, and humor around every corner. After an accidental viewing of "10" at the local film society meeting, a group of small town Irishmen submit an ad to the Miami Herald for American Women to visit County Donegal with a view to marriage. After waiting and waiting, they finally realize that what they desire has been there all along. I can't help but really fall for the story of Ian and Kate, A middle-aged bachelor and a divorcee who both feel they're too old for love. Most of the film's humor comes from Kieran, the bleach-blonde butcher with a mouth the size of Antarctica. This picture was more than I expected. I've seen it so many times, and each time I fall in love all over again.

Gentle Celtic productions are very much in vogue at the moment. What with Waking Ned, Ballykissangel and the late Hamish Macbeth. The Closer You Get is a gentle tragi-comedy with a heart-warming if unsurprising ending. All the performances are very strong, particularly from the ever-magnificent Ian Hart and Niamh Cusack, but you can't help feeling that you've seen it all before. If you're feeling in need of a pick-me-up on a Saturday afternoon, then go see, but otherwise wait for the next series of Ballykissangel!