Certified Copy is a tri-lingual, partially subtitled story about love, life and art that came out at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. Now it has arrived in Cambridge. While the film has superb acting and cinematography, this self-indulgent film does not indulge us with a clear-cut ending.
An unnamed French gallery owner (Juliette Binoche) living in Tuscany goes to speak to British author James Miller (William Shimell), ostensibly about his eponymous new book. Driving and strolling around their picturesque locale in one day, she and James argue about whether or not copies can be as good as the original. Then, when an older Italian barista mistakes them for a married couple, she goes along with it. Soon, James pretends as well and the viewer is left to decide how real the 15-year fake marriage is.
Seriously, it’s up to you. Writer-director Abbas Kiarostami decides to end it there.
Other than leaving the film’s mystery unsolved, Certified Copy is beautifully filmed and acted. True, the breathtaking Italian countryside does most of cinematographer Luca Bigazzi’s work for him, but there are also clever shots showing the buildings above traveling on a windshield’s reflection, adding motion to what could be an otherwise static scene. There are more than a few close-ups of Shimell and Binoche, allowing the audience to observe one character’s reaction to what the other says. Both Shimell and Binoche have mirror scenes that wordlessly say so much.
And Kiarostami isn’t exactly careless with the plot. When James tells an unseen caller the afternoon will be a better time to talk, he receives that call exactly then. Also, James’ description of a mother and son walking 50 feet apart matches her and her son towards the beginning of the film. There’s continuity, just no closure.
I’m not completely against ambiguous endings. It was okay in Inception because it wasn’t the whole movie. In this case, the entire premise is whether or not her and James’ marriage is real or just a cleverly disguised copy. Films should not be made just to be coffee house conversation pieces, especially when the subject does not need increased awareness. Because what would we be talking about? Relationships? There are enough films about that already.
I came to be told a story, not half of one. This unfinished film is otherwise well done. Maybe watch Certified Copy in the background when it comes on IFC. B.
I was discussing something similar with my partner the other day. Cinemas need to wrap up stories in a nice / hapy ending. Give me Lynch any day. Even the script writing books teach a beginning, a middle and an end…
The man says he needs to be at the station by 9. If you watch the last scene you should have noticed that the bells were ringing in the background. Telling the time. Try and put two and two together and you have a real ending.