“Certified Copy” is no copy at all. Everything about it is real. Recent films such as the fantastic “Blue Valentine” and the exceptional “The Freebie” have captured painstaking romances in decline in such pristine detail that viewers are left in awe by film’s end. “Certified Copy” encompasses more of the same, but in an entirely different fashion. To say the film is one of the best in recent years to take a snapshot of a relationship in flux would be a near-perfect description, but it all comes down to how one conceives its structure. Like a painting, “Certified Copy” can be viewed from several different perspectives. The film marks director Abbas Kiarostami’s (“Taste of Cherry”, “The Wind Will Carry Us”) first stab at a feature made outside of Iran. Communicated in a variety of languages, including English, French and Italian, “Certified Copy” is as fulfilling as it is multi-lingual. Juliette Binoche, who won the Best Actress prize at the 2010 Cannes International Film Festival for her performance, plays a single mother and gallery owner living in a Tuscan village who meets British author (William Shimell) during a lecture in Italy concerning authenticity and fakery in art. As their day progresses, so does their budding relationship. Or does it? Is this romance for real or simply a show? French darling Binoche is riveting in the lead and keeps your eyes glued to the screen from start to finish. While French is clearly her native tongue, the role required a heavily English speaking performance. The result is heartbreakingly real and never feels forced at any point during the film. Something should also be said about British opera singer Shimell, who does an ample job in his acting debut. Kiarostami’s direction is singular and his always-engaging technique of catching the best from his actors through revealing shot after shot is simply breathtaking. The film has already drawn comparisons to Roberto Rossellini’s classic “Journey to Italy” starring Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders, though I couldn’t stop thinking of the brilliant Wong Kar-Wai film “In The Mood For Love” in its portrayal of two strangers masquerading as a couple. Real or not, “Certified Copy” is a true work of art. April 15th at Cedar Lee in Cleveland