Abbas Kiarostami's Close-Up is a humanistic, idiosyncratic and intimate examination of a multitude of themes and concepts, explored in tandem with the empathetic deconstruction of Hossain Sabzian's soul - a soul which should be considered as an extension, or representation, of our own; we probably all, at least slightly, relate to Sabzian.
Rich in the ideas it raises and the thought it prompts, Close-Up provides inspection into questions of art (specifically as escapism), facade, desire, empathy, class-divide, social identity and more, all of which themes are carefully intertwined with one another, imitating the symbiotic relationship between them in wider society. Yet perhaps most human of all is Close-Up's raw and unashamed acknowledgement of one's disappointment with life; specifically, how life's…