Abbas Kiarostami films are a true delight for those familiar with his deliberately slow and restrained style (10, The Taste Of Cherry Blossoms) which is filled with philosophical conversations between ordinary, real people. If you’re not familiar with his style, Certified Copy maybe he’s most welcoming film to date and probably his most enjoyable to watch. Set in the gorgeous region of Tuscany, Italy the film is an examination of relationships, art and the unique perspective that individuals have when it comes to understanding and more importantly interpreting something. The filmmaker clearly didn’t want to make the typical love story in Italy but rather something far more intimate and interesting and the result is very gratifying.
The film opens with a shot of a book baring the name of the film and on the cover of the book, two nearly identical statues stare at one another. This opening shot is symbolic for the metaphor of a relationship that is about to unfurl. The book is sitting at a table for a lecture of it’s author James Miller (William Shimell), a handsome British man who is discussing the concept of the power of art and how a replica can elicit similar feels to the original. It immediately brings an interesting philosophical concept to ponder, if a viewer perceives a work of art and is inspired by it, does it matter if it’s a fake? As he intelligently diatribes about art, with equal sarcasm about his own success, a young woman (Juliette Binoche) sits in the front row enamored by the words she hears before being dragged out by her rascal son.
What follows is a chance encounter between man and woman who despite not knowing each other, play the roles of lovers who have been married for 15 years as they explore lush and quaint Tuscany towns. Shot in a beautiful hybrid of Kiraostami’s various styles including long shots of driving and car mounted shots masked in reflections and shimmers of their surroundings combined with hypnotic and intimate close ups of the actors expressions, which allows viewers to become fully absorbed in their emotions. There is a beautiful mystery to the conversations between Binoche and Shimell, are they really married or did they just meet? As the filmmaker challenges the audience’s perception of what they are being presented and if it’s real, it becomes clear that this is the parallel between the bigger concepts laid out in the beginning.
Certified Copy is a real pleasure to digest and think about after the final bell tolls and the performances by its actors are top notch and extremely effective. The movie while straightforward in its narrative is poetic and complex and constantly challenges its viewers to think about interesting concepts. Kiraostami who is considered by many as the father of contemporary Iranian cinema brings his unique philosophical cinematic style for the first time to an area outside Iran and dealing with concepts he hasn’t much dabbled in. The final product is as refreshing as the Italian countryside so beautifully portrayed in the film.
9 out 10
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