In Kiarostami's furiously clear view, religious dogma suppresses the eye's observations through the dictate of the word; his calmly unwavering images, with their wry humor and generous sympathy, have the force of a steadfast resistance.

The meanings of Close-Up shift, subtly and profoundly, with every viewing; the only certainty is that its rewards are boundless.

Successfully blends fact with fiction to produce a work more compelling than any of today's infotainment programs.

Close-Up is an impressive meditation on how life imitating art eventually becomes it.