Review of Certified Copy (2010) by Kevin N — 06 May 2011

This Kiarostami close-up focuses on two people: one, played by Juliette Binoche, a single mother who longs for the return (or at least the apology) of her husband; the other, played by Opera star William Shimell, a single author who is willing to replace that gap- but only for awhile, and only for practical psychological purposes.

This is an absorbing picture in which actors act twice, and a master filmmaker captures only the essences of their interactions, moments meant to be forgotten by the normal human eye. It's slow and meditative because it invites free-thought and constructive viewing, and no one line in the picture has any definitive purpose or motive.