Certified Copy

Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami's first Western dramatic feature, Certified Copy, is an intensely intimate, if occasionally exasperating, musing on one relationship. Set in stunning Tuscany, the film follows the interactions of two apparent strangers—a British historian (William Shimell) and a French antiques dealer (Juliette Binoche). As the two spend the day together, they converse both awkwardly and, at times, seemingly as old friends in settings that engender natural conversation—driving together, sharing a meal—so the candid and winding discussions, while often pretentious, appear organic. The movie's virtual absence of plot can be frustrating, especially as the pair's rapport increasingly implies a more complicated relationship than obvious at first glance, leaving it up to the viewer to determine its true nature—a device that is both clever and irksome. Shimell, an opera singer, is impressive in his first film role, though his performance grows tinny at times, while Binoche is simply outstanding. Despite tiresome blunt themes of love and compromise, Kiarostami's meticulous direction adds another layer to an already-complex sentimental portrait, employing tight close-ups that allow Binoche to expertly convey the vacillating emotions of her enigmatic and infuriatingly fickle character.