July 29, 2012

Day 21/23 - Certified Copy (2010)


When I first saw Certified Copy last year, I found myself totally confused. 

British art critic, James Miller (William Shimell) is in Tuscany speaking on his book about copies vs. originals. During his lecture, a woman (Elle, whose last name is never given, played by Juliette Binoche) enters and sits in the front row in a chair which has a reserved sign on it. She is greeted with a nod by James’ publicist, and she is followed in by her 15 year old son, who stand bored at the side playing a video game on his cellphone. The son insists he’s hungry and they leave.  Before leaving, Elle gives the publicist a note to give to James. In the next scene the son trails behind the mother as they go to a restaurant. In their ensuing conversation, he asks her why she bought so many copies of the author's book and she doesn’t like him (her son) to use his surname. She is obviously raising him alone. James appears at Elle's antique shop (which is filled with expensive copies of statuary) and the two go off on a sight-seeing tour of Tuscany before he returns at nine to leave. Is she a fan stalking her favorite? Is this their first time together? Or is there a history here we don’t yet understand? The director/author throws hints but doesn't give full answers.

Elle takes James to a museum where there are wedding couples. He asks for a coffee and they go to get it. James says the inspiration of his book was watching a woman in Florence with her son who tags along behind her. Elle begins crying as he describes watching her explain about the David to her son and how it inspired him to write the book on originals and copies. When he goes out to take a cellphone call, the female owner of the shop begins talking about James as “your husband.” Elle doesn’t correct her and says they had been together for 15 years. This is the moment a year ago that blew me away.

Since the two spend the rest of the film discussing their marriage, his absence, the difficulty she has living a life alone, shared memories of the locations she takes him, I realized perhaps I was wrong about my view the first time.

This viewing I made a conscious decision. This IS a couple who are together. They have made their compromises and see each other periodically. As she tells the hostess, he is obsessed with his job. But “he loves you,” insists the hostess. Later a tourists tells James all Elle wants is for him to put his arm on her shoulder. And he does.

Am I wrong? Perhaps. But for me the  movie takes on a whole new shape is you accept from the beginning that these are two people in love, in an extended relationship, with two who have chosen the life they live.

Stylistically the film is quite interesting. As the trip into the countryside begins, the director places the camera dead center on the car. A typical shot, right? Untypical is that we see the city and the countryside reflecting in the windshield encompassing the image of the two. 

Later, as the couple sits and talks, the director places the actors squarely in the center of the screen where they talk directly to the camera. We have medium reaction shots, but the unrelenting camera’s eye doesn’t allow the actor to hide.

Juliette Binoche and William Shimell are wonderful in their roles and allow us to wonder and speculate what is really going on between the two. For me, that mystery enriches the whole film. It's definitely a see-it for me.

Certified Copy (2010) ****


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