There are certain films that are simply magic.
They are few and far between, and the experience of watching them often comes up over you.
You realize youre watching a masterpiece, and you dont want the film to falter.
Our review of the Criterion Collection Blu-ray release ofCertified Copyfollows after the jump.
Elle (Binoche) brings her son to the lecture, and gives James a note.
The son is distracted and wants to leave.
Elle goes with her son to lunch and he taunts her for flirting with Miller.
Then, as they have coffee, a waitress mistakes them for a married couple.
Certified Copyis a duet, and both Binoche and Shimell are stunning.
Kiarostami must have a great eye if he thought he could get this performance out of the Shimell.
But more than that, Kiarostamis approach here is simply breathtaking.
The film is conceived in such a way that theres no wasted frame or ideas.
Its also on Netflix instant, but that transfer has nothing on the Criterion Blu-ray.
It was like watching a new movie, and the cinematography by Luca Bigazzi is breathtaking.
Are they working out past baggage through a fake relationship, is the game over when the film ends?
Thats one of the fun parts of the film.
Binoche in the supplements talks about how she felt like she was dancing while performing the film.
When it concluded, I was high on cinema.
This feels light and airy, and thats part of its deceptive charms.
This is a great work of the highest order.
And part of that is because like a lot of great movies its partly about cinema.
We buy into the lies, and we use phoniness in cinema to bounce off of in real life.
We create empathy for things that are both us and not us.
The Criterion Collection presents the film in widescreen (1.85:1) and in DTS-HD 5.1 Master audio.
Supplements include another Kiarostami film, his second feature, 1977sThe Report.
Theres a new interview with director Abbas Kiarostami (16 min.)
Theres also a documentary Lets See Copia conforme (52 min.)
that talks to the director and his stars, his cinematographer and producer about making the film.
Also included is the films theatrical trailer.
