Close-Up

Close-Up (Nema-Ye Nazdik) (1990)

Runtime: 98 minutes

Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami

Starring: Various Iranian people starring as themselves

From: Several Iranian companies

As stated before, these March Around the World events can at times give me a kick in the keister to see some things I've been putting off, or try out something from a country whose product I've barely scratched the surface on. In this case it is perhaps the most highly regarded film from Iran. It just happens to be the sort of movie I can't reveal much about, thus a not as lengthy review.

That is because it's a documentary of sorts where a real life case (a man impersonates a famous Iranian director to try and swindle a rich family) is followed, and the family does recreations of those past events. Sounds simple yet through this device the movie presents much information and many ideas concerning a number of topics, from cinema itself (the impersonator-Hossein Sabzian-was more than happy to be filmed) to life in Iran. As I did not know as much as I should concerning Persian life, that was informative. Also came the realization that I perhaps do not want to ever get arrested in that country as their legal system is for certain different than in the US. Also, tape recorders-at least at the time-were not that common.

Close Up is not something I love as strongly as I've seen many movie fans proclaim. That is not a slight, though-it is still a very good motion picture and one that was rewarding for me due to its unique properties as it takes the viewer on an enriching journey.