"THE CLOSER YOU GET" (2000) (Ian Hart, Sean McGinley) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Minor Moderate None None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None None None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Mild Mild Minor Minor QUICK TAKE: Comedy: After the single men of a small Irish town post an ad hoping to lure American women to their annual village dance, they and the town's women react to the prospects of new romance. PLOT: In a small town on Ireland's Donegal coast, the single men there don't see many prospects for getting hitched as long as they stay put. Even the local priest, Father Malone (RISTEARD COOPER), admits that he's yet to marry anyone there, including Kieran (IAN HART), the local butcher; Ian (SEAN McGINLEY), his older brother and sheep farmer; and Ollie (PAT SHORTT), who still lives at home with his mother. Sitting around in a pub owned by former soccer star Pat (EWAN STEWART) and his wife Kate (NIAMH CUSACK), those men, as well as Sean (SEAN McDONAGH), the youngest of the bunch, and Mickey (DESSIE GALLAGHER), who looks like a rock 'n roller, decide to run an ad in the Miami Herald, hoping to lure American women to their annual dance and impress them enough to make them want to stay as their brides. Sean's mother, Mary (RUTH McCABE), the local and nosy postmistress, however, reads their outgoing letter and soon the women in town, including Siobhan (CATHLEEN BRADLEY) who works for Kieran and obviously has eyes for him, know of their plan. While the men primp and prepare themselves for the hopeful influx of American beauties into their town, the women set out to entice their own suitors, in this case a bunch of Spanish fisherman. As the big day approaches and the men spend their time hiding out at the bus stop waiting for the women, emotions begin to rise as unexpected romance, passion and arguments ensue. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're into quirky Irish comedies or are fans by chance of anyone in the cast, they might, but this one doesn't seem likely to appear on the radarscope for most kids. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For brief language and some sexual material. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: IAN HART plays the local butcher who doesn't seem happy about his status in life and professes his love for Siobhan too late. He briefly uses strong profanity, makes some disparaging remarks about some Spanish men and is drunk in one scene. SEAN McGINLEY plays his older brother, a sheep farmer who has a thing for Kate and briefly cusses. PAT SHORTT plays a thirty-something man who still lives at home with his mother and is curious about losing his virginity (which he eventually does with an older woman). EWAN STEWART plays the local pub owner and former soccer star who smokes and eventually leaves his wife and ten-year-old daughter. NIAMH CUSACK plays his wife who has a secret thing for Ian. SEAN McDONAGH plays the youngest of the bunch who's seeking an American woman. In one scene, he's literally falling down drunk. RUTH McCABE plays the local, nosy postmistress who isn't above opening and reading other's mail. She eventually helps Ollie lose his virginity. CATHLEEN BRADLEY plays Kieran's butcher shop employee who eventually gets fed up with him when he doesn't realize she's been attracted to him all along. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a quick look at the content found in this PG-13 rated comedy. Profanity is rated as heavy due to 1 use of the "f" word, while other profanities and a handful of colorful phrases are also used. Some sexually related euphemisms are made, as are other, straightforward, but non-explicit discussions about sexual matters. A character receives a mailing of pornographic material, we briefly see a centerfold that shows a woman's bare butt, and an older woman helps a thirty-something man lose his virginity. Beyond that, some bad attitudes are present, as is some imitative behavior, while some characters smoke and drink with the latter also including two characters who end up drunk. In addition, a family breaks up and a punch to the face and a brief struggle make up the violent content. While it's doubtful many kids will want to see this film, should you still be concerned about its appropriateness for them or anyone else in your home, you may want to take a closer look at our more detailed content listings. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Some of the locals drink in the pub. The single men drink in the pub again. Kieran and a friend drink in a pub. A local woman states that any American women who show up can look forward to drunkenness from the local single men. Ian has a beer. The locals drink in the pub once more. People have drinks at a dance, including Siobhan who pours hers over Kieran's head. After Kieran and Pat ban each other from their respective establishments, Pat tells Kieran that he hopes he can find another pub. As such, we then later see Kieran at home making his own beer and getting Ollie to taste it. Later, Kieran and Sean stumble through the streets at night drunk (both eventually pass out on the street). BLOOD/GORE Kieran's nose is just a bit bloody after being punched. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Disregarding the local women, the town's single men set out to entice American beauties to visit them, complaining that there aren't any worthwhile ladies in town. Mary, the local postmistress, steams open the men's letter and reads it before sticking it back in the mail. She later does the same for a package of sexually explicit material that Ollie receives from Amsterdam. Kieran makes some disparaging remarks toward some Spanish fishermen. The local men develop bad attitudes toward each other after the American women don't show up. When Kieran finally tells Siobhan how he feels about her, he describes her as "acceptable." FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Shut up," "Bloody hell," "What the hell," "Ball breaker," "Idiot" and "Bollocks." A kid picks his nose in church. Mary, the local postmistress, steams open other people's mail. Kieran is often seen adjusting his crotch (but we never know why). Kieran has the local barber dye his hair jet blond. One of the men urinates outside against a stone wall (we only see him standing there, but do hear the associated sound). Siobhan pours her drink over Kieran's head. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word (with another possible one), 3 "s" words, 1 slang term for male genitals ("d*ck"), 5 hells, 1 damn, 5 uses of "Oh my God," 4 of "God," 3 of "For God's sakes," 2 of "My God" and 1 use each of "Jesus," "Oh God" and "Oh Christ" as exclamations. SEX/NUDITY We see some footage from the Bo Derek film, "10" that shows her running along the beach in her swimsuit as well as her caressing her own body and then of she and Dudley Moore making out in the surf. Ollie then says that he'd give it all up for her. After stating that he used to have several women a night, Pat holds up a Playboy centerfold, that shows a woman's bare butt, for the single men to see. We later see Father Malone watching the movie "10" again, and hear some moaning sounds during the famous Bolero scene. Kate's daughter asks her mom how long it will be before she has breasts (she's ten). We see Kieran in his underwear. Kieran is often seen adjusting his crotch (but we never know why). A comment is made about a "few cheap, sexual thrills," and that the men want something more than that (meaning marriage). Some characters make euphemisms about sexual matters (without being explicit). A calendar photo shows a shapely woman in a small bikini standing next to a cow. Ollie admits that's never done "it" (he's a virgin), but that "it's not like I haven't practiced." Later, Ollie tells Sean that he's now a man (that he's lost his virginity), causing Sean to ask Ollie if his partner was of the two-legged variety. Sean then asks what it was like and when Ollie doesn't reply, Sean asks, "It was that good?" Ollie then states that he has a reference letter from the woman he had sex with (to any foreign women, proving that he's not a virgin and that the woman who deflowered him "had a fine, damn time"). That said, Ollie then admits that he couldn't do it and that his intended lover suggested that he get some "reading material." We see Mickey in his underwear. Kieran sees how much his bed will squeak during sex. Arguing, Pat tells Kieran that he might as well run around "with your d*ck in the air." After opening a mail package of sexually explicit material addressed to Ollie (including a magazine titled, "Rubber Maids"), Mary won't let him have it. Ollie comments about touching and tasting a woman and becoming one with her (along with other euphemisms for sex) while giving Mary his explanation of why he needs his explicit mail. Later, Mary shows up at Ollie's house, resolved to help him lose his virginity. We then see them lying together, clothed, in some hay, presumably after having had sex, and they comment on how nice their experience was (we don't see any nudity or activity). SMOKING Pat smokes a few times, while some others in the pub also smoke. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Pat and Kate's marriage falls apart by the end of the story and he moves out (they have a ten-year-old daughter who witnesses all of that and asks why he's leaving and then tells him that he's an idiot after his explanation). Sean tells his mother that the reason his dad left home was that he wasn't a nice man. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The men's belief that none of the local women are available or good enough for them. Life in a small, isolated town. VIOLENCE After being insulted, a fisherman punches Kieran who falls to the floor. Following an argument, Kieran grabs Pat and the two struggle on the street until Ian separates them by pushing Pat back against a wall. Reviewed March 1, 2000 / Posted March 10, 2000

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