Review of Certified Copy (2010) by Tracie P — 23 May 2012
Beginning with an actual lecture and ending with a lectorial smudge of expressionism, Kiarostami seems convinced only one tone can be the universally right one for his story. Despite the interesting splintering of other elements in the script (metaphysics vs. practice, publicity vs. interaction, adults vs. children, clarity vs. marriage), he still maintains the same condescending, aloof, alien lecture in the main themes through all of it: what's real? what's fake? what's authentic? and does any of it really matter?
An author named James Miller, on a book tour in Tuscany, poses these questions first to an audience and then to a mysterious admirer (Juliette Binoche, playing an unnamed character) who whisks him off to the countryside if he'll sign a few copies of his book for her. Beforehand, she introduces him to her antiques shop, full of dubious sculptures and paintings and tchotchkes -- "I ended up here by accident. Just in the middle of all these things," and that's about as subtle as the script ever gets.
Their wandering conversations are less aimless and stupid (probably the commonest complaints leveled against Kiarostami) than just stiff and unrealistic. They show a babyish anti-didactic didacticism that gradually grows more and more "anti-"s.
This review of Certified Copy (2010) was written by Tracie P on 23 May 2012.
Certified Copy has generally received positive reviews.
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