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Close-Up

Summary This fiction-documentary hybrid uses a real-life sensational event - a young man arrested on charges that he fraudulently impersonated well-known filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf - as the basis for a stunning, multi-layered investigation into movies, identity, artistic creation, and life itself. With its universal themes and fascinating narra...

Directed By: Abbas Kiarostami

Written By: Abbas Kiarostami

Close-Up

Metascore Universal Acclaim Based on 15 Critic Reviews
must-see
92
User Score Universal Acclaim Based on 32 User Ratings
9.0
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Summary This fiction-documentary hybrid uses a real-life sensational event - a young man arrested on charges that he fraudulently impersonated well-known filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf - as the basis for a stunning, multi-layered investigation into movies, identity, artistic creation, and life itself. With its universal themes and fascinating narra...

Directed By: Abbas Kiarostami

Written By: Abbas Kiarostami

Where to Watch

Coming Soon
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 15 Critic Reviews
92
100% Positive
15 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Universal Acclaim Based on 15 Critic Reviews
92
100% Positive
15 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
100
It's enormously intelligent stuff, witty, poignant and thoroughly engrossing, and ends with one of the sharpest, funniest deconstructions of film form ever shot. Absolutely wonderful.
By Geoff Andrew FULL REVIEW
100
A dense and subtle masterpiece.
By Jonathan Rosenbaum FULL REVIEW
100
From the outset, the director lets us know that this won’t be some sensationalistic crime story. Close-Up is more about the power of images, and how what’s on the screen at any given moment can hold our attention completely, even if it has nothing to do with “the story.”
By Noel Murray FULL REVIEW
90
Close-Up is two films in one, a hugely skilful work of cinematic origami about doubles and doubling.
By Chris Darke
90
It is Mr. Sabzian's poignancy that makes "Close-Up" much more than a clever reflection on film-versus-life as an endless hall of mirrors.
By Stephen Holden FULL REVIEW
75
"There's nothing about this place worth filming," insists one character, but Kiarostami always comes up with something: a Tati-like scene in which a canister rolls down a street, all but waiting to be kicked, and several exotic glimpses of urban life, including a turkey salesman who carries a couple of unplucked birds through the Tehran streets. [26 Feb 1999]
By John Hartl
75
If Close-Up is not much to look at, it certainly enthralls the mind. [09 Feb 1996, p.16G]
By Rene Rodriguez

User Reviews

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User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 32 User Ratings
9.0
94% Positive
30 Ratings
6% Mixed
2 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Universal Acclaim Based on 32 User Ratings
9.0
94% Positive
30 Ratings
6% Mixed
2 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
Jan 21, 2013
7
seancriswell
Really enjoyed this film. This is my second Kiarostami film and what strikes me most about his movies is the way he weaves intrigue into very simple plots and dialogue. The intrigue in Close Up is far and away the strength of this film. The visuals and acting are not particular strong or weak, so Kiarostami keeps your interest by never giving you too much of the story at once, but by giving you small bites that eventually lead up to a pretty satisfying whole.
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Details

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Production Company
  • Kanoon Parvaresh Fekri
Release Date Dec 31, 1999
Duration 1 h 38 m
Genres
Tagline A Real Life Situation Based On A Real Incident In Actual Locations With Actual People Involved
Website https://www.janusfilms.com/films/1287
View All Details

Awards

Cahiers du Cinéma
• 2 Nominations
Montréal Festival of New Cinema
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Istanbul Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination

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