Certified Copy: A Beautiful Exploration of Perception (Analysis)

Finally was able to have the time to put this video together. I hope everyone enjoys it! Feel free to leave your own thoughts and interpretations in the comments section! :)
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[@acillatemus841]

Beautiful interpretation, thank you! I was watching this film the other night and it instantly made me think of Plato's theory of immitation, which plays an important role in art - from Plato's point of view, not a single thing in our world represents an original, but an imperfect copy of the 'real' object, which he called ’the idea’. He strongly believed all the ideas were part of a separate world that no human is able to access directly, but one can somehow learn about through immitation; thus, our plane of existence acts like a mirror in which the world of ideas is reflected, giving us the illusion of originality in everything we experience with our mind and senses. According to this theory, art is mimicry in a sense that every artwork represents a copy of a copy of something (i believe the dialogue about Mona Lisa in the film states this very clear).

[@martu.troiti]

I’m actually trying to enter a film school (ENERC), and one of the movies we have to watch to take the exam is Certified Copy; your video helped me so much to understand the message and the cinematography, thank you so much!

[@ianbarbis6919]

x2

[@facundocarbonelli5006]

X3 ajajjaja

[@auridesha5555]

x4

[@Zog76]

I think they're role playing the first half of the film. This is where they play a 'copy' of themselves and their own relationships. No one gets that emotional (e.g. the restaurant scene) with a stranger. A second viewing makes it a little odd though as they really do seem to be strangers for the first half, BUT it does explain the ocasional outburts of Binoche's character to mundane things Shimell's character would say. They do have a common past.

[@kimiwari]

Very much enjoyed this film , very interesting and mature writing :) love the intro and song choice to your vid . Great 👍🏽 job! Keep up the hard work !

[@PolentaChips]

Everything clicks and themes hit home when it is realised that She is the mistress.

[@PolentaChips]

This is how they are simultaneously close and distant - emotionally familiar yet unfamiliar with each other's lives. His sourness towards newlyweds not foreseeing the bitter reality of marriage. His inability to express affection despite their history can be understood as a guilty man struggling to abstain from publicising or encouraging an affair he wants to keep secret and in the past. The inevitable progression of their interaction from a politely distant reunion in professional English to quickly return to past emotional intensity with quick changes between languages to honestly express feelings. Her sensitivity for the statue depicting a woman having a man to rely on. The audience is interested for as long as we can believe that this is an 'original' relationship - but like the Neapolitan forgery, we are prone to dismiss its value the moment we realise that it is an affair - a 'copy' of a relationship. It also explains the impact of the cafe woman's words on the woman in James' defence: "He makes you a married woman. That's what matters." This attempt at reassurance unknowingly targets the saddest thing about their relationship. That for all their intimate history, what they've got is not socially validated - 'certified'. And that it can't even be argued he is a good man, because he's out gallivanting with his mistress rather than spending a Sunday afternoon with his wife as perceived by strangers. Per discussion of his book, this man wishes to convince himself into ignoring the world and enjoying, in a simple-minded way, this 'copy' in a social vacuum, as if it were the real thing. But although he can lose himself in passionate discussion for moments at a time, we see his thoughts quickly catch up with him. He is too aware of the counterfeit.

[@hibaimene9684]

@@PolentaChips Waw, havent watched this video yet, but your analysis is next level, details i havent noticed ! the kid ? not his ?

[@Ballardian]

I agree that they are in role play, but the one thing that doesn't add up is the reaction of the kid... Why does he react to the man as if he's a stranger? Or is he in on the act? Seems doubtful. (great film though).

[@captainlebowski241]

What a brilliant analysis, thank you so much for this. Really gave me some clarity on the film🙌

[@cherylrico9107]

Great job Carlos! Love how you presented this analysis! Wonderful movie, 9.

[@TheMisfitPond]

Thank you so much!! I’m happy to hear you loved the analysis and the film as well!

[@anillegibletombstone]

Thanks for the review. I think I'll be able to get more out of it upon rewatch.

[@Ravi-xf8dw]

Great video man . Loved the film and your explanation was very helpful

[@gamenightph1203]

I need to rewatch this film!! So ambiguous

[@matiaszuniga5161]

Great analysis!

[@waliedahmed5030]

very insightful. thank you.

[@ajford3973]

Another god tier video!! Need to watch more Kiarostami.

[@TheMisfitPond]

I really appreciate that dude! I’d say watch where is the friends house next.

[@danischannel]

Thank you . Whats the background music ? I love it

[@citizenfour9622]

And yet, if you listen to the Criterion commentary, it’s revealed that the director only wrote the script as an excuse to vacation in Italy on a production budget. That’s why this movie meanders. _I’m not joking!_ 🙄

[@appukoo]

Never knew this. In this case, discussion on the movie doesn't make any sense at all

[@thomasnienow2249]

Or perhaps her wearing a cross is not ironic at all.

[@TheMisfitPond]

To me it’s ironic because she’s arguing strongly for the importance of fact based objective reality over the value of perception. And religion is something that, even the most prestigious religious scholar would agree, is not something that appeals to a scientific reality but more of the subjective and perceptive values that one receives from the belief.

[@MarianMurphy-rz8ej]

Even an airplane is shaped like a Cross.

[@MarianMurphy-rz8ej]

I think it’s problematic when fictional characters possess more life and Truth in their way of life than the actors who portray them. To be in the company of the dead in real time is a very different experience than any of their works in prerecorded time that are merely a hollow imitation of the real. These images and representations are just the shadows on the wall of Plato’s cave that people mistook for real existence but they had/have no substance or being in Truth. And people then idolised these things of the world above the Sacred laws of our Creator and His Son and like the Pied Piper it led them to their death too. They exalted themselves in their own imaginations, they pursued after these lifestyles. They lionised men above God and acquired an inflated image of self such that they could treat others in any arbitrary manner they also decided based on their own subjective valuations of taste, or what deserves praise and merit and what does not. They did it in a cruel way forgetting the humanity of others and that every sentient being is an end in itself and not a means to an end. In real life these people are arbitrary and vicious in their ways. They do not have any governing principles to direct their conduct. They serve the creature and not the Creator. The world represented here is so far from the Truth of the world we live in. And it shouldn’t be that way.

[@PersianSelection]

Quietly, one of Kiarostami's best films....and possibly the greatest love letter to Last Year in Marienbad.

[@danischannel]

Thank you . Whats the background music ? I love it

[@garvitahuja4283]

Even i believed they were in a role play, but there’s one thing that does not align with that interpretation. When james was outside the coffee shop talking on the phone, it was at that moment where she tells the italian lady that he only shaves every alternate day. Later in the film when they’re sitting outside the hotel, james says the same thing for not shaving that day. That indicates towards them having a past, because otherwise how are they on the same page when that thing was mentioned when he wasn’t in the coffee shop?

[@TheMisfitPond]

Yes that’s a great piece of evidence you brought up in regards to her knowing his shaving routine. I think kiarostami does this intentionally to make it to where the interpretation can go either way! BUT I would like to suggest that I think it is likely that Binoche was able to predict that about him based on what his facial hair always looks like. It’s a perception based on an observation that she happened to be right in because of the consistent state of his beard. If his beard always looks like that, it’s not very difficult to conclude that he shaves every other day. But nevertheless, it’s a great point.

[@fv5681]

Carlos this is awesome man. Film school level stuff. I just saw this last night after waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep. An amazing film and my love and appreciation for Kiarostami is approaching Mount Rushmore status. By the way this was on the watchlist because of your initial review. Thank you!

[@TheMisfitPond]

No, thank you for watching and giving me feedback! I’m glad you found my analysis insightful! And more than anything I’m glad you also loved the film and kiarostami in general

[@fv5681]

Absolutely man. You got good taste and nice to meet others who shares their excitement for Kiarostami films. Next up for me is Close-Up. Take it easy!

[@MarianMurphy-rz8ej]

Sounds like I belong in the name of your channel so I subscribed

[@samlyf101]

Loved your analysis! You've given me so many new insights on this film!

[@davetorres3906]

Your analysis was spot on, i very much agreee. At first i thought it was an alright film but as it progressed i liked it more and more, i ended up loving it

[@ianmateoquintero4373]

Yo i lv this chanel