Certified Copy

Director and writer Abbas Kiarostami formed an important part of the Iranian New Wave that started with Darius Mehrjui’s “The Cow” (1969). Abbas Kiarostami (“The Wind Will Carry Us,” 1999), Jafar Panahi (“Crimson Gold” 2003, “Offside” 2006), and Mohsen Makhmalbaf (“Kandahar” 2001) are some of the well-known directors of the Iranian New Wave.  The films from this period closely resembled Italian Neorealism in their tone, stories about people from the lower-middle and working classes, using nonprofessional actors. But these films in spite of their comparisons to neorealism have strong Iranian thematic elements, something that is unique to Iranian cinema. The imagery of the films associated with the Iranian New Wave is often described as lyrical--containing views of rural and urban lifestyle--set against the backdrop of the picturesque Iranian landscape. 

In his first twenty years (1970-1989) as a filmmaker, Kiarostami mainly wrote and created several short films. With the release of “Where Is the Friend’s Home?” (1983), Kiarostami, for the first time outside Iran, received critical acclaim in Europe. Nonetheless, Kiarostami’s docudrama “Close-Up” (1990) is still considered by some critics as his best film, in which Kiarostami creates a real-life story by mixing fictional and real characters in a documentary format.  Kiarostami’s “Taste of Cherry” (1997) won him the Palm d’Or award at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, and his follow-up movie “The Wind Will Carry Us" garnered critical acclaim in the art-house circuit. While his films have been shot mainly in Iran, “Certified Copy (2010) is Kiarostami’s first film outside Iran; the project was funded by a French production company and filmed mainly in Tuscany, Italy.

“Certified Copy” is an unusual project for Kiarostami, for sure. His earlier projects were realistic stories from the working class using nonprofessional actors. He felt that by employing professional actors, he would compromise his artistic vision; after all, his movies have always been about people from Iran. With “Certified Copy,” Kiarostami takes a leap and breaks his attachment to neorealism--first by hiring mainstream actors William Shimell and Juliette Binoche--and then by filming the movie outside Iran, something that he has rarely done. In fact, by his standards, Kiarostami goes mainstream for the first time with “Certified Copy.” It is as far as Kiarostami has ever gone to create a mainstream movie.

“Certified Copy” is a movie in which characters just talk, and then talk, and then talk some more.  Solely driven by two actors, the film bears similarities to Richard Linklater’s dual romantic dramas “Before Sunrise” (1994) and “Before Sunset” (2004), and to Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” (1960), thereby making it immediately accessible to a wider audience. The characters in “Certified Copy” discuss art, life in general, marriage, and relationships. We meet James (William Shimell) and Elle (Juliette Binoche) at a book reading, where James is reading segments from his latest book, “Certified Copy.”

The movie begins with a few hilarious segments, not laugh-out-loud moments, but ones that will put a smile on your face. First, James takes a call on his cell phone while he is in the middle of the book reading. Certainly unpleased with the timing of the call, James quickly shifts the audience’s attention with a short comical conversation. We see moments later that Elle is interacting with her son at a local restaurant. Of course, the son senses that she is up to something, and he directly confronts her by saying she is looking to strike a relationship with the author. Completely surprised by her son, she deflects the issue by scolding him. But the significance of this moment comes later in the film when James explains the motivation for his new book.

Quickly, we are taken on a road trip along the beautiful Italian countryside of Tuscany. Kiarostami uses the landscape to convey the state of his characters, similar to what he did in “Taste of Cherry” and “The Wind Will Carry Us.” He then frames tight close-up shots of the characters talking in a car and uses the scenery to magnify the degree of separation between James and her. However, as the conversation grows, we gradually understand that both characters are polar opposites. James is a pragmatist, who views everything in life with a cynical eye, whereas Elle is an expressive person, often succumbing to ordinary values and views formed by society. She likes to reason out by fully understanding the differences. On the other hand, James being a critic shuts off people with his critical remarks. James believes in original ideas and works, whereas she accepts what pleases her, without a critical thought process. In addition, she confronts James about his individualistic approach to life; and this very well represents the dichotomy between these two protagonists. Kiarostami’s approach in making the characters converse on their opposing views is profound and thoroughly captivating, and that’s what makes “Certified Copy” an interesting epiphany on life and art and on the characters themselves.

The idea of original vs. replica plays an important part of the film. It’s a concept that Kiarostami has tackled in “Close-Up,” where the main protagonist impersonates a famous Iranian director, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and tricks the family in the film in believing that they will be part of his new film. The notion of original art makes for an interesting debate: Would you like to see a film created by an original director? Or would you accept the fact an impersonator can create a film as good as the original director? The core issue here is, What form of art excites us? Or is this idea irrelevant for most people? Depending on the perspective, the original and its reproduction are both art forms, which we learn when James and she discuss the art around Tuscany. Their discussion questions the methods of evaluating art, its associated vision, originals, and the usage of replicas.  Similarly, the protagonist in “Close-Up” desires to create an art film, and his love for films is no less than Makhmalbaf himself. Indeed, we see Kiarostami’s astute ability to create a postmodern setting for the characters to discuss these issues.

Kiarostami is known for his ability to mix long and close-up shots, a technique that he has mastered over the years when he worked with short films. “Certified Copy” also features a varied use of sounds in several scenes, which brings in a realistic element from a third-person perspective. Whenever a disagreement occurs between James and Elle, the shot rapidly cuts to the outside view. But most of the time, Kiarostami works with the close-ups that creates an involving emotional experience. Close-ups are a tricky compositional technique, and Kiarostami ensures that his actors are not overly expressive, which only helps in keeping the unneeded dramatic element in check.

Kiarostami also employs a realistic sound design. There are scenes when you can’t make out what the characters are saying. For instance, when James and Elle are in a museum, we hear loud voices of a guide explaining the art, and then she translates it for James. It’s like Kiarostami is standing in the same hall watching James and her talk, but he can’t hear them because of the distance and loud voices. Certainly, the third-person perspective is an interesting approach that places viewers in the same space as its characters. Likewise, when James and Elle are outside chatting about a nearby sculpture, the surrounding noises are high pitched, and again we don’t hear anything of what they are saying. Kiarostami is not keen on comforting the viewers, and he deliberately chooses not to attenuate the background noises; we see what we see, and we hear what we hear.

A lot has been said about the film’s narrative structure. Some people say James and Elle are a couple, while others have said that she is trying to be friendly with James. Whatever the case, it does not matter. At a deeper level, the movie is about characters who at some point in their life were disenchanted with their other half. There can be many reasons for that: their unavailability for each other, their losing interest and desire in the relationship, and their perusing personal interests at the cost of breaking the relationship. While we gather all of this, we never quite understand the fundamental issue in the lives of James and her. If you accept James and Elle as a couple, then the meaning of the title, “Certified Copy,” gets even deeper. It asks an introspection question: Would you fake your feelings just to continue a relationship? Or would you follow your true feelings in pursuit of happiness? Nonetheless, the discussion in the entire film can act as a template for a couple’s failed relationship some fifteen years ago.

The film succeeds because of Juliette Binoche’s sensual performance. Right from the first scene, we are captivated by her charming personality. Binoche oozes sexiness with her flirty smile, and you are bemused why she is flirting with James. Her character comes across as a sentimental and intense person owing to Binoche's strong personality, a key element of her character. Binoche exhibits a variety of emotions from being funny to emotional, which is evident when at a coffee shop James talks about the mother-son interaction. The entire discussion in that scene is a representation of her character’s life as a mother, and Binoche painfully presents the growing distance between the son and mother. Moreover, Binoche convincingly demonstrates her bilingual skills by rapidly switching between French and Italian languages. In the climax, when both act as a couple, Binoche brings calmness to her character, when we see her accepting the harsh realities about human relationships. Binoche’s fascinating performance won her the Best Actress Award at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Likewise, William Shimell is equally impressive as an emotionally distant character. Shimell has never acted in films before and performs only in operas. Here, he is comfortable in his role and comes across as a veteran actor. Their body language and conversations radiate with infectious, lovable chemistry. And there is enough magnetism to pull the viewers in their discussions and be part of it.

“Certified Copy” impressed with me with its simple approach to complex issues about life and art. This is a film you can watch over and over again, and each viewing will bring multiple interpretations. It is this reason why “Certified Copy” entertained me with its emotional depth.

Video:

Courtesy of Artificial Eye, “Certified Copy” arrives on Blu-ray with a fantastic-looking transfer. The disc is region-free and can be played in Region One players in the U.S. The 1080p is clear that shows no sign of damage or blemishes on the print. The scenery around Tuscany is beautifully presented with deep greens. The close-ups are solid with consistent detail. Likewise, the long shots have remarkable depth and sharpness. The skin tones are realistic and solid throughout. There is a nice layer of grain as the movie switches between brightly lit outdoors and dark scenes. However, there is softness in several scenes, which is intentional. Overall, I am very pleased with this transfer.

Audio:

Artificial Eye has included an English/French/Italian 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. Considering the talkative nature of the plot, the dialogue is clear and audible throughout. In serene moments, the background noises are perfectly presented, and the channel separation is adequate.

Extras:

There is only one regular making-of featurette (1080p, 53 minutes) included for this release. Here, we see the filmmakers on location shooting the film. We also get interviews with the cast and crew. A theatrical trailer is also included.

Parting Thoughts

Before “Certified Copy,” Kiarostami created many great films about Iran: “Close-Up,” “The Wind Will Carry Us,” and “The Taste of Cherry” among them. As his first film outside Iran, “Certified Copy” still has Kiarostami’s trademark style that has made him immensely popular. Featuring self-reflective discussions and intoxicating performances from both the leads, “Certified Copy” demonstrates why Kiarostami is still at the top of his game, even after making movies for almost forty years. Indeed, for fans of Kiarostami, this Blu-ray is a no-brainer.