Close-Up

a throwback review by Jovani Remior

And now for something completely different. Once upon a time, a down on his luck, unemployed Iranian named Hossain Sabzian decided that he needed a break from his go-nowhere life. As he rides the bus one day, the lady next to him notices that he is reading the script to 1987’s The Cyclist by Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf. As a fan of the film, she inquires as to where he purchased the script, and without a moment’s hesistation, Sabzian tells her it’s his – he wrote it. He even offers to autograph it and give it to her. The lady is very grateful and they exchange information. Soon after, Sabzian, or should I say Makhmalbaf, is spending time with the lady and her family, the Ahankhahs. Imagine the family’s delight; they soon ask him to stay a night or two. The impostor never once gives up the game, speaking intelligently about his cinema when asked questions. This faux Makhmalbaf even offers to cast their son as the lead in his next film, and they soon jump into rehearsals. However, after a few days Father Ahankhah begins to suspect something is afoul, and the cops soon arrive to arrest the impostor.
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