Close-Up Movie Review

Close-Up [Nema-ye nazdik] (1990)

Rent Close-Up on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Abbas Kiarostami
Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami
Starring: Hossain Sabzian, Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Rated: NR []
Watch the trailer

Plot
This Iranian documentary relays the true story of Hossain Sabzian, a cinephile who impersonated the director Mohsen Makhmalbaf to convince a family they would star in his so-called new film.

Verdict
This guy gets the chance to be someone important and takes it. While it goes too far, you understand the why. Because of this ordeal he's achieved some amount of fame, starring in this documentary, which otherwise wouldn't have happened. It's an interesting concept with a strong conclusion. It's not entertaining in the traditional sense, and I don't think most people would enjoy it. It's a curiosity with a twist of forgiveness despite the circumstances.  
Skip it.

Review
This is based on a true story with the people involved playing themselves. While the trial is actual footage Kiarostami filmed, the events before the trial are a reenactment.

This begins with a journalist leaving a jail and relaying an entertaining story about someone that passed himself off as famous film maker Mohsen Makhmalbaf. The journalist looks into the story of this imposter that planned to use his family and their house for his next 'movie.'

Hossain Sabzian

Hossain Sabzian was mistaken for Makhmalbaf. He's interviewed about what happened after being caught. From the outside it looks like fraud, but Sabzian states he likes art and film. He never intended to mislead anyone. The journalist interviews the family. One of them claims to have known what was going on from the start, but that may just be stroking their own ego and refusing to admit they were deceived. None of them seem all that upset.

Kiarostami gets permission to film the trial which turns this into basically a documentary. The family speaks at the trial, stating Sabzian committed fraud and may have even planned to steal from them before the father thwarted him. Sabzian denies burglary but the judge reminds him that he's only on trial for fraud. Sabzian states that he likes film and was a big fan of Makhmalbaf. When he was mistaken for the director he felt important. He just wanted to be respected. He refutes the fraud as he didn't intend to deceive the family. The judge asks how did he not deceive by passing himself off as someone else. With Sabzian's circumstances, the judge asks if the family would be willing to pardon him.

Hossain Sabzian, Mohsen Makhmalbaf

This concludes with Sabzian meeting the real director Makhmalbaf. It's a strong ending as the two visit the family after they forgave him at the trial. The family hopes he'll make them proud. Sabzian finds their forgiveness extremely touching.