Claire Danes has become a lanky, elegant movie star in the old Hollywood tradition and "Shopgirl" showcases it without a doubt. She was always a good actress but now she's more than that. Her character is a genuine creation that moves in logical if unpredictable patterns. Steve Martin, the most self effacing of the contemporary American comedic geniuses, is becoming quasi french in his story telling style without betraying his utter Americaness. I have a feeling that he'll continue to surprise us and I for one will wait eagerly for his next move. The thinking clown if there ever was one. Jason Schwartzman belongs to the quirky Coppola, Nicolas Cageish school of acting and he is a delight. Odd and sexy in the most irresistible way. The film has an intellectual pace and a sad smile at its center. A real original American comedy for the new millennium.
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arichmondfwc20 November 2005
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JackCerf31 October 2005Edward Hopper was the great painter of urban loneliness. Shopgirl had two perfectly composed and lit shots that could pass for Hopper paintings -- the one where we first see Mirabelle behind the glove counter at Saks, and the one where she solves the problem of how exactly to cross the intimacy threshold with Ray for the first time. Both involve the display of exquisite merchandise to customers who have excellent taste but don't quite appreciate the full value of what's being offered.
The relationship between Ray and Mirabelle is, of course, a transaction. Ray is what used to be called a sugar daddy. He knows it, and within the limits of that role he is apparently a generous and considerate keeper. We aren't given Ray's back story, but it is not hard to guess that a symbolic logician who made a fortune in computers might have been socially challenged, to put it mildly, as a young man, and suffered a good deal of rejection from women. He can now buy what he couldn't then woo, but experience has taught him never to relinquish control and never to let himself be vulnerable. A few hundred million dollars have cleaned up his exterior nicely and given him power over his surroundings, but the inner nerd is still there.
Mirabelle certainly appreciates the value of what Ray can do for her. Consider the shot in Vermont where she gazes at her dried out, prematurely worn mother and decides she'll meet Ray in New York after all. But Mirabelle refuses to admit to herself that she is only being kept. We are meant to think the better of her for her self deception. The sluttish, annoying and frankly mercenary but cheerfully self aware Lisa is there to draw an unfavorable contrast with Mirabelle. Paradoxically, it is Mirabelle's self-deceived integrity, and her refusal to use the crude manipulations Lisa suggests, that make her a more exquisite ornament for Ray -- gourmet arm candy for a man with the finest taste. Both women are punished for self deception, but Lisa suffers only comic humiliation while Mirabelle sets herself up for real pain.
Jeremy has the makings of a Ray in him, but we are meant to believe that he has -- implausibly -- attained emotional enlightenment, if not the capacity for articulate speech or sustained rational thought. He has earned Mirabelle, we are told, because he has remade himself to be worthy of her. Love may not conquer all in this bittersweet anti-romance, but it still does better than break even. -
st-shot14 July 2008Adapted by Steve Martin from the novella by Steve Martin and starring Steve Martin this constipated and passionless romance film it is fair to say can be blamed on this one time wild and crazy guy gone serious. The book, brief as it is runs out of steam after a promising start and this basically three character film would probably stagger around in the same lugubrious stupor were it not for the way Martin has to turn one of his characters into a zany deus ex machina in order to jolt some life into it for the film's bittersweet happy ending.
Vermont transplant Mirabelle Butterfield is an undiscovered artist working as a sales clerk at Sak's Fifth Avenue in LA. Unfulfilled and lonely (even her cat won't come out to greet her upon returning from a day's work)she meets and dates two completely different men. Jeremy is a man child that finds wonderment in neon signs and sees no problem in using plastic sandwich bags for a condom. Then there's sophisticate Ray Porter who has homes in LA and Seattle and gets around by private jet. Jeremy is quickly jettisoned once Mirabelle feels she has something more serious and tangible in her relationship with the wealthier and older Ray so he gets a job as a roadie and goes on tour with a rock band. Meanwhile Ray's feelings remain ambiguous. It eventually goes bad in the most mannerly of fashion just in time for the freshly scrubbed Jeremy to reappear.
Shopgirl has a sleek trendy look to it with it's stylish sets and well heeled characters roaming the upscale store, chic museums and fine restaurants as well as Porter's sterile residences. But the film plods along at an uninteresting pace because the film never really gets deeply into the characters. Without the interior monologue of the novella director Anand Tucker seems content to allow his characters to tell their stories with wan expressions of joy and sadness. To make sure you don't miss these telling glances he spends a lot of time overusing slow motion and employing a prodding music score to bring some life to the characters.
Claire Danes does what she can with the glum Mirabelle and it's not a whole lot since Tucker seems content to just film her pretty face in a series of reactions. She and Martin have some decent scenes with each other (especially when she attempts to cut back on her anti-depressent)but the relationship for the most part is tepid. Steve Martin is a disaster as Ray lacking the actors chops to show any emotion, even the restrained variety that the non-committal Porter protects himself with. In order to balance these dull lifeless creatures Tucker and Martin turn Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) into a lovable shaggy dog, cutely clueless and upbeat.
Shopgirl is Woody Allen territory without the comic irony and Erich Rohmer land without the introspection or depth of character. It's well mannered has a nice veneer but lacks the energy to ever really take off. Jeremy and Ray are cliché polar opposites, (old wild and crazy Steve versus the mature and refined Steve)but naturally caring and compassionate in their own way. Martin and Tucker refuse to employ negative capability to either character thus diluting the film's somber dramatic tone even more. Ray's passive interest lacks edge in either direction and the selfishness of his actions are betrayed by the makers need to almost make him as sympathetic as Mirabelle, thus stealing her thunder and reason to rage. It undermines Shopgirl which drably plays it safe from beginning to end. -
ferguson-68 November 2005Greetings again from the darkness. Gotta hand it to 60 year old Steve Martin. He cranks out the easy hits like "Father of the Bride" and "Cheaper by the Dozen" so that he can do his own pet projects like the underrated "Bowfinger" and now "Shopgirl". Based on his own novella, Martin explores the mid-life fantasy of a powerful, rich businessman who takes on a beautiful, younger, unspoiled country girl from Vermont.
While the insight into quiet desperation is always fascinating, Martin's script fails to really show any human connection between the three leads. Martin's own character, while easily the most privileged, is far and away the most distant and least interesting. The always interesting Claire Danes desperately wants to be loved and escape the ever-present cold existence of Vermont which continues to haunt her. Jason Schwartzman (fast cornering the market on quirky to the point of annoying dudes) is initially enamored with the idea of being with Claire (or anyone) but goes on the road with a rock band and finds himself ... or at least educates himself on how to fit into society.
Not sure if any of the characters have any real redeeming qualities, but they do make for moderately interesting film-making. Bridgette Wilson (Mrs. Pete Sampras) has a fluffy role as the envious make-up queen, Sam Bottoms makes a rare screen appearance as Danes say-little Dad and Francis Conroy (Beautiful Flowers, Six Feet Under) has a brief appearance as Daines Mom. Interesting side note is that Rebecca Pigeon has a small role ... she is the real life wife of the great David Mamet.
Although, the lighting is atrocious and distracting in most every scene, you do find yourself hoping that someone, ANYONE, discovers a moment of real happiness. Yes, this story could have been better presented, but it is worth watching to view first hand how people pretend to connect. -
noralee2 November 2005"Shopgirl" is an off-kilter modern romance. It plays on several conventions of movies, from the old-fashioned "The Shop Around the Corner" to the fairy tale "Pretty Woman," but takes surprising turns away from those stereotypes.
The look and sound of the film are half of its appeal, from Peter Suschitzky's dreamy cinematography, to the production and art design that has each character in their own color scheme, to the enthralling score by Barrington Pheloung, though the atmospherics almost overwhelm the three characters who frequently seem like pieces in a set design as the camera slowly glides back to reveal an entire mise en scene.
Claire Danes is radiant and holds our eye and sympathy throughout the film, as we see life mostly from her first naive than wiser perspective, though she is portrayed as just about the last sweet young woman in the country, as all the other women seem pretty cold-blooded. While she has an underlying problem common to such in TV and movies these days, it is handled surprisingly visually and tenderly.
Over fourteen months, she encounters a bumbling young suitor, the adorably scruffy Jason Schwartzman, who even as his character matures retains endearing enthusiasm and quirks, and a sugar daddy in a somewhat mysterious Steve Martin, who is more believable than "Sex and the City"s similar "Mr Big." Ironically, the few physical comedy scenes are with Schwartzman, not Martin-- and that's a very funny scene about a condom, as this film in its quiet way is pretty frank about sex.
An occasional voice-over narration is obtrusive and unnecessary, even as Martin's adaptation of his novella claims the need for an omniscient observer, but the camera and the characters' body language visually communicate the same information. The sudden insertion of a parallel scene where two main characters suddenly explain themselves to listeners who we didn't know previously existed in their lives is a bit too convenient and doesn't really fit.
But the film is on the whole winning, as each character very gradually learns about who they are and who they can be, about the meaning of life, love, success and human connections, and about the clear-eyed choices they can make to attain these, to change or not. While the bulk of the film is set in Los Angeles, it feels like a picaresque journey of discovery as they go from one scene to another.
The song selections are marvelous, particularly Mark Kozelek's varied twists on different genres to reflect the different characters. It's a cute joke to have Schwartzman's "Jeremy" as a roadie when he has been on the road with Phantom Planet.
The costume design by Nancy Steiner is lovely; clearly the shopgirl was using all the discounts available to her at Saks even before a paternalistic benefactor picks up the tab. -
rslssp10 September 2005After some of the lesser films Steve Martin has been in lately, namely Cheaper by the Dozen, Bringing Down the House, and the like, it's a welcome sight to see him doing serious work. Shopgirl, adapted by Martin from his novella, is arguably his most serious work, and easily his most dramatic performance. However, in the world of Oscar prospects especially, the film will likely receive few accolades. Despite strong efforts from the cast, the film crashed between depressing drama and farcical comedy with none of the grace required.
The main issue with the film is Anand Tucker's direction. Only his second feature film, following 1998's Hilary and Jackie, Shopgirl is played far too serious. A heavy camera seems to plod its way through scene after scene. Several moments, mostly those with Jason Schwartzman in them, try to lighten things; but even some fairly good laughs cannot remove the feeling that this isn't a very happy film.
It is perhaps unfair to blame Tucker for the mood entirely. Similar complaints were leveled against Martin's original novella. But how much more endearing, how much more fun, this film would've been under someone like Rob Reiner. It is, after all, a comedy of relationship errors. There is drama here but the heart and soul of the story is in the laughter. The mistake is entirely in playing it as a drama with comedy, not a dramatic comedy.
The other main flaw is the tedious, and essentially needless, voice-over narration. Whether in screenplay format the narration read fine, or if it was added later to clarify the film for mainstream audiences, it detract. The actors are all capable enough to express their emotions without explanation. It is not hard to tell when a young woman goes home to an empty apartment and a cat that she is lonely. As remarked by a man sitting behind me: "A movie loses something when it has to be explained." The problem with the narration here is that Shopgirl doesn't need to be explained, but is.
Not helping the dreary atmosphere is Barrington Pheloung's ridiculously over-dramatic score. Echoing the work of Alexandre Desplat, especially Girl With a Pearl Earring (produced by Tucker), Pheloung seems insistent upon forcing drama into every note. The music plays less as an underscore than as an upstaging diva. Other technical work reaches must loftier heights. Nancy Steiner's endearing costume design, a cross between her work on The Virgin Suicides and a Day/Hudson comedy, gives instant heart to the characters. Danes' Mirabelle benefits the most. Likewise the art direction, by Sue Chan and David Smith, is delightful. Danes' apartment has an apt Vermont-meets-L.A. feel whereas Martin's two homes are cold and hollow, like his character.
The curious thing is that when all the elements come together Shopgirl is an enjoyable experience. As it was playing I really liked it. But when all is said and done there is something missing. Once you stop laughing you realize it is a profoundly unhappy film. Despite the strong and endearing performances the film is simply too sad to win any hearts, but well-meaning enough not to send any away. -
It's no real secret that through his writing, Steve Martin has depth and sentimentality that Hollywood doesn't always let him show. He has shown signs of a longing to grow old gracefully (as his almost gimmick-free gigs as Oscar host have shown) and let his acerbic wit and insight drive projects more than the over-the-top slapstick antics of the 1970s Steve Martin.
It's also no real secret that many of his recent films have been far from great.
So, still having faith in the man, and having loved the novel on which this film is based, I went in to the cinema desperately wanting to like it, but expecting to be disappointed. Largely, I was pleasantly surprised that the novel did transfer well to the screen.
Some of the credit for this belongs to director Anand Tucker, who has created some powerful images of the hustle and bustle of the LA that Martin describes in the novel, and contrasts it well with the characters who lead shallow lives, trying to be something meaningful amongst all the chaos.
Credit also goes to the actors who show that longing that drives the situation: Claire Daines as Mirabelle clearly WANTS to be social, artistic, loved; Jason Schwartzman as Jeremy WANTS to be sensitive, witty, lovable; Martin as Ray Porter clearly WANTS to be suave and considerate. Without having many jokes in the script, audiences can still appreciate the humour by seeing these pathetic struggles. When I saw it there was plenty of laughter at all the right moments.
I will, however, hasten to add that there are parts of the book that never would have translated well to the Hollywood screen, and the praise that some give the movie for serving its purpose will contain the same reasons that others wish to knock it. The book's strength is that one can feel for the characters because they are portrayed as superficial people and their lives and conversations are so shallow in comparison to the narrative that sets them up. The reasons why it works so well as a book could well be the very things that cause it to not work on the screen. Then there's the matter of a book that's so rooted in "LA sux" sentiment being made into a Hollywood movie. So maybe the musical overkill reeked of "excuse me, we're trying to tell you something". Maybe the spots of narration felt out of place and indicated that Martin is not yet over his desire to spend his life as the 'star' of his projects (him getting top billing for the movie was also a bit much, in my opinion).
Ultimately, maybe the audience members who were longing for a film with more 'depth' and 'substance' were in actuality sharing the characters' longings for the same in their own lives. Maybe the 'criticisms' are in fact backhanded compliments that the film is largely doing just what it's meant to do. -
mike-warwick29 November 2005One of the best of this year that I have seen. Writing was top notch, acting great, and set direction and cinematography outstanding! Many of the shots were jaw droppingly "wow." A really pretty movie to look at and an emotionally torturing movie to watch for someone closer to Martin's age than the rest of the cast.
Sure, Ray is playing out a fantasy that is kind of creepy, but there are women looking for that kind of relationship, just listen to Dr. Laura. And men too, of course. Plus, the voice over sets this up as it basically says she is looking for love to "find her" and Ray does, so this is built into the premise like it or not. Over the course of the movie she matures beyond her fantasy, and I would like to think Ray does as well, although that isn't as clear. -
mswatsoninc4 February 2007There was a moment in "Shopgirl" that I almost gave up. I can honestly say that I was up in the air about what I was watching for the first 30 minutes of the film.
Just as I was about to turn it off, the scene came when Mirabelle (Claire Danes) was at lunch with her girlfriends and Ray (Steve Martin) was having a conversation with what I can only assume was his therapist. At that moment, Mirabelle was convinced that she had Ray wrapped around her finger, and Ray was in the middle of telling his therapist that his relationship with Mirabelle was very casual and he was under full control. They did an entire 180 from where I thought their characters would be at that moment, and I was hooked. But, I'm getting ahead of myself...
"Shopgirl"--title giving no inclination as to the depth of the film--centers around Mirabelle, a Vermont transplant to LA, searching desperately for some kind of connection...to anyone. She first encounters Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) at a laundromat. Jeremy is a quirky 20-something artist who has no idea how to relate to anyone--let alone a woman he's interested in. They have an awkward date, and even more awkward sex, then Ray--a 50-something millionaire--comes out of the blue to sweep Mirabelle off her feet. There in lies the complication...go with what you're used to, or go with what is out of the ordinary. Of course, this being Hollywood, she gives the out of ordinary a shot--only what we think is Hollywood cute when it comes to mismatched couples, turns out to be surprising in the fact that Ray ends up being more of a superficial man than we would have expected. Some would even go so far as to call him practical. I like that in a movie.
In a town that loves to pit younger actresses against older actors when it comes to casting, it's refreshing to see that one of those relationships doesn't end up riding off into the sunset like we've been conditioned to expect. Even more refreshing, the man follows his brain and his heart rather than his drive just below his belt buckle.
To have Mirabelle go for the "work in progress," Jeremy, rather than be constantly disappointed by the "on paper dead winner," Ray, restores my faith in human nature. Kudos to Steve Martin for keeping it realistic with his story line.
"Shopgirl" is a definite surprise for me. The title elicits itself to a certain degree of simplicity, but, don't let that fool you. Whit knuckle it for the first half hour, and it will all fall into place for you. I'm glad I did. -
michaelnakan19 February 2006I simply do not understand how other people on this site could have given this score above, say, oh, a three. As a comedy, it fails; it isn't at all funny. As a drama, it fails; you are never given any reason to connect with the characters, and the so called twists (Steve martin sleeps with some random woman, Jeremy returns to town in a new suit) don't do anything to alleviate the mind crushing boredom. As a romance, it fails; the main characters are essentially shag partners, not really romancers. The acting was bearable, but it was just so BORING. Nothing happened throughout the whole movie, and other than that, nothing was explained. Why did Steve Martin take a like to the shopgirl? Indeed, why should we care? It was narrated towards the beginning of the film that this girl had value; which put me in the mindset of her getting a better job and putting her life back on track, not working at the EXACT same job, the only difference being her new sex buddy Steve Martin (who by the way, could easily be the girls father). The one liners are awful, and it is just so mind numbingly tedious. The people who claim that this is the best film they have ever seen are either clinically insane or have exceptionally poor taste. One of the people who reviewed this claimed that it was "a continuation of Steve Martins bitter humour," which it clearly wasn't, as there were no jokes. At least not funny ones. Steve Martin needs to loosen up and stop appearing in poor mens children comedies, and absolutely mind numbingly terrible romances. Add to it a non-ending and you've got yourself the worst movie of 2005. Edit: Saw a little of this a few weeks ago, (August 08) and it's still just as shite.
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gregsrants6 November 2005Let me make this easy for you. Shopgirl reminds me a lot of Lost in Translation.
With one sentence, I am sure I have turned off more than a handful of people that are now searching other movie titles of interest.
Funny really. Lost in Translation was one of those films that the critics adored. It was a quiet and quaint film that delivered an absorbing story without explosions or over drawn out comedic moments.
Yet, it was one of those films that I could not find a casual film watcher enjoyed. Or even understood for that matter.
I think it was due to its pacing and under toned performances by the two leads. Nothing was forced either in conversation and in turn, back down the audience's throat. Instead, it just went about telling the story of two people who happened to meet and make a connection.
Shopgirl is not dissimilar. The story (based on a novella by Steve Martin) concerns well, a shopgirl at Saks Fifth Avenue named Mirabelle (played wonderfully by Claire Danes). Fresh from Vermont and trying to make it as an artist in the hustle and bustle that is Los Angeles, Mirabelle in the span of just a few days goes from someone of plain existence that the world seems to have ignored to being the apple in the eyes of two suitors that couldn't be more different from each other.
In one corner and out of the gate first is Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman of Betwitched fame). Jeremy is the dirty weird guy that you meet in a laundromat. He seems nervous when he talks to women and his idea of a date is anything under the eight dollars he has in his wallet.
In the other corner is Ray Porter (Steve Martin). Ray shows up at Saks one day and makes a purchase from Mirabelle that ends up on her doorstep with an invitation of dinner soon after. Porter is loaded and in his courtship of Mirabelle he is able to lavish her with gifts beyond her accepted imagination.
But under the surface, the two suitors are even further apart than their bank balances would suggest. Porter is a man of high society who is always looking for the 'next thing' without any regard to those to which he is involved with at the time. Meanwhile, Jeremy is as sincere as it comes. He wears his heart on his sleeve and tries hard to learn about relationships in hopes of winning over the very impressionable Mirabelle.
The story then sculpts Mirabelle's highs and lows with both men leading to her ultimate decision that is both logical and acceptable even if projected right from the opening chapters.
Shopgirl is one of those guilty pleasures. It's good storytelling without MTV songs ringing in our ears or tragic moments that define ones future decisions. It is based in reality. Or as close to reality that Los Angeles allows.
And much like Lost in Translation, Shopgirl's backbone is the strength of the lead actors. In particular Claire Danes, who will give Charlize Theron a run for the gold when the awards season beings in just a few weeks. As Mirabelle, she is able to project vulnerability and confidence while exuding emotions of emotional pain and heartfelt love that grounds her performance allowing us to understand her decisions even if they don't all turn out to her benefit.
The result is one of the quietest and best films of the year that much like Lost, no one will see until it starts running on satellite early next year.
www.gregsrants.com -
jk2two25 February 2018Look past the unnecessary narration and Schwartzman's character who exists only to make this a comedy, and you have two stunningly authentic performances from Claire Danes and Steve Martin. This may be Danes best work, which is only a slight shame because it's not an amazing film. Martin clearly had a large amount of faith in his novel, but again - he did not need to narrate passages that are just as easily communicated through the film. I hear the comparisons to Lost in Translation, and I found this film to be much easier to sit through - it's slow, but it is no where near that slow.
It's not a top notch romance by any means, but it has a touch of authenticity that makes it heartwarming. And even if Dane's character is only one you can connect to, it's enough to carry the film. -
FilmSnobby13 November 2005A strange new cinematic sub-genre has emerged recently: dramas of late-middle-age starring members of the original cast -- the "Not Ready for Prime-Time Players" -- of "Saturday Night Live". Steve Martin's *Shopgirl*, based on his novella, is the latest entry. One wonders, with no small sense of dread, what's going to come next: Dan Ackroyd as a lonely widower facing prostate cancer? Jane Curtin as a retiring waitress who is faced with the choice of either paying her heating bill or continuing her Zocor prescription? Chevy Chase battling a Viagra addiction? It's becoming apparent that Bill Murray's existential angst isn't his alone. The Baby Boomers have officially turned 60 this year. What this means for the rest of us is that we'll have to face old age with them, given this generation's fondness for navel gazing. Expect a slew of movies in the next several years on the topic of aging gracefully or otherwise. We may even have a sequel to *The Big Chill*, in which the characters will make passes at their grandkids' wives or husbands.
For, as Steve Martin makes clear, Free Love is still an option for these aging hippies. He plays Ray Porter, an incalculably wealthy computer tycoon who divides his time between Seattle and Los Angeles. (He jets back and forth between them on a private plane.) While in L.A., he goes to Saks Fifth Avenue and buys a pair of elegant black gloves, becomes smitten with girl who sells him the gloves, and somehow gets her address and SENDS the gloves to her apartment along with a note asking her to dinner. Claire Danes' Mirabelle, a reserved transplant from Vermont, is the perfect prey for this roué. Martin contrasts Mirabelle with one of her co-workers, a classless, slutty Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, the type who would be too cynically wise to actually fall in love with the old man. For, despite Ray's early protestation to the contrary, Mirabelle's adoring devotedness is exactly what he wants out of this relationship of convenience. He can dominate an innocent girl with the unruffled ease to which he's become accustomed.
I'm afraid I'm not buying any of this. Martin quite explicitly makes Ray a monster, but then goes out of his way to make sure that we like him. After all, he takes Mirabelle to the doctor when she's depressed and later on pays off her college loan. Martin then exacerbates matters by having Ray actually verbalize his awareness of his own fundamental indecency: he says things like, "The financial stuff I can help you with. It's the other stuff . . ." and so on. Oh, please. WHY must we like Ray Porter, anyway? Does it have something to do with the fact that he is Steve Martin's creation, perhaps? Never underestimate the egotism of writers.
And to make sure that the 60-year-old seems like a Dream Come True for Mirabelle, Martin conceives his more age-appropriate romantic rival Jeremy (the grotesquely hairy Jason Schwartzman) as a borderline retard with the most obscure profession I've yet seen in film: a stencil artist for guitar amplifiers. Jeremy lumbers around the early portions of the film in slack-jawed idiocy, leaving in his wake, Pig Pen-like, a cloud of body odor and a trail of body hair. He keeps hitting up Mirabelle for money in order to "pay" for their dates. He drives a crappy car. Get the picture? Later in the film, Jeremy becomes a mature adult after listening to cheesy self-help tapes while touring as a roadie with a rock band, the maturity made evident by Schwartzman's shaved face, slicked-back hair, and natty white suit (by a name-designer) that looks to be pulled from the rack of the Miami Vice fashion police. (By the way, what IS it with these type of movies having a recurring motif of self-help tapes? -- cf. *Lost in Translation*. This is something MARTIN'S generation does! The Dot Net kids mock that stuff!) I'm pretty positive that Martin wrote the novella with a possible film in mind in which he would star as Ray -- and, if so, what a stunning display of pettiness, to say nothing of sheer egomania. Some competition, eh? Do Ray and Jeremy really constitute the choices for a beautiful girl in her twenties: a 60-year-old roué and a slacker who behaves like a 12-year-old? You know, French films frequently tackle this subject matter, but the girl is given a reasonable alternative between a still-vital handsome professional in his forties and a good-looking, charming kid. In *Shopgirl*, it's either the suave King Midas of Social Security age or a bum. Give me a break.
Finally, one gets the sense that it's really all about the money for Steve Martin. A lot of name-dropping going on, here: Armani, famous L.A. restaurants (Ray and Mirabelle eat take-out from Spago at Ray's elegantly post-modern house), and so on. Don't forget Jeremy's transformation in that name-designer white suit. Martin couldn't even come up with a fake name for Saks. If he was trying to be satirical about crass commercialism, it must have sailed over my head: the comforts of Ray's life are presented as a glamorous option for Mirabelle, if she just plays along. Martin, in a third-person narration, sums up the action of the film at the end by suggesting Mirabelle would have stayed with Ray if he had loved her just a bit more. Turns out that, to modify Paul McCartney, money can ALMOST buy you love. It never occurs to this Baby Boomer that a healthy, wholesome, decent young woman might want to build a life with someone her own age. *Shopgirl* is a pathetic chauvinist fantasy that isn't as aware of this fact as it thinks it is.
2 stars out of 10 -- the second star earned by some occasionally fanciful direction by Anand Tucker. -
evanston_dad31 August 2006I hope for Steve Martin's sake (and book sales) that the novella on which this desultory movie is based is better than the movie itself.
Claire Danes, who I wanted desperately to like, gives a catatonic performance as a lonely young woman looking for love, or at least human contact, in L.A. A love triangle of sorts develops between her, a wacky spaced-out nice guy (Jason Schwartzman) and an older, very well off divorcée (Steve Martin), who's nearly as catatonic as Danes. Absolutely nothing of significance or originality happens as this story builds toward a conclusion you can predict before the opening credits have even finished rolling. The characters played by Danes and Martin are such drips that you can't muster up one iota of interest in what happens to either of them or their love affair. The film moves at a woeful pace, and everything's set to a funereal, repetitive string score. The only life in the film comes from Schwartzman, who has far too small a role. In fact, why not just make a movie about him next time?
Grade: C- -
ebrister-11 September 2008The first 45 minutes starts off with some pizazz as bored and desperate Claire Danes has a couple of bad dates with the over-the-top yet likable Jason Schwarzman. His character was completely unbelievable, but I had to admit his shtick was entertaining.
From there, just as some momentum is established, Steve Martin's character appears and diverts the story into a intriguing but ultimately extremely dull direction. Initial scenes with Danes and Martin suggest a mysterious plot development (who is he -- and why is he interested in her?), but the mystery is quickly dispelled as the camera (which until now had been on Danes in every scene - we only saw her point of view) candidly shows Martin at home watching TV while eating in the kitchen, or talking to his therapist, thus revealing that there is no underlying plot; the entire story is just about their shallow relationship itself.
Meanwhile, Schwarzman via an improbable yet not especially zany sequence of events, ends up on road trip where he transforms from imbecile to a perfect well-dressed, artsy, self-effacing, chivalrous, occasionally suave suitor who may even be rich now (can't really tell) - of course from listening to self help tapes. Kind of a funny idea, but not developed at all, just clumsily alluded to in a couple of scenes.
Schwarzman is naturally physically funny and manages to wring some humor scenes he's in, giving the film a jumpstart. Danes is charming and ordinary, while Martin is a self-possessed cipher (as usual). Martin gives a flat businesslike performance; while there are some hints of his essential style, it is not a comedic role.
Dialog in the second half of the film was predictable and extremely plain. As the film proceeded into the last 45 minutes, the scenes felt quite long and empty of any interesting story or details - just a series of scenes that were required to tie the middle of the movie to the conclusion. Don't worry, there was closure.
The biggest problem was a confusion about who the movie was about. At the beginning the story was clearly about Danes and her suitors. What amazing places will the poor yet genius artist and the rich guy with jet take her - what will unfold?? At some point the emphasis switched to Martin's character and his very mild suggestion of suffering from not being able to have 2 girlfriends at the same time. It was not a successful story arc, to say the least.
Ultimaltely the story felt weird and puzzling - by the end we were wondering more about Martin's motivation for the film than the merits of the story. -
cnycitylady4 June 2015'Shopgirl' is a pretty solid romantic dramedy. The characters are all lost in their own selfish, narrow minded worlds, severely shrinking the world around them, but in a way that makes the story more succinct if not slightly dull.
Claire Danes plays Mirabelle, a lonely and bored shop girl whose life suddenly becomes 'worth living' as it were, when she is pursued by and older and wealthy gentleman (Steve Martin.) But when she grows more attached to the aging playboy than he is to her romantic complications ensue.
The story sometimes feels long and outdated but the performances by each and every actor help to keep the viewer afloat. Schwartzman does a fine job as the young slacker vying for her heart. Danes particularly shines through, playing the luminous and desirable shop-girl and the slightly depressed artist all in one.
Although the movie suffers at times from predictable plot and seems to be trying too hard to make a thorough impression with its overall sense of profundity and unnecessary narration, it still merits value. It holds your attention (although barely at times) so that you'll wish to see it to the end just to know what happens.
'Shopgirl' is a soft and sweet romance story about how to love yourself, life and anyone else who may come along. 6.5/10 -
Shopgirl is pure patient pleasantry politely presented powerfully picture perfect persisting upon no pressing plot or pace or purpose or prudence as I partly praise it per previously particularized whereupon I primarily praise the pruriently prettily pleasing princess Claire Danes. I love you, Claaaaaaiiiiiirrrrre! I love alliteration but nothing like the way I love Claire Danes and I'll prove it. I resist the urge to tell you Claire's naked butt scene in this is phenomenally poetically primal, I'll just say I love it. Writing is a beautiful thing, and Steve Martin's a beautiful writer, but Claire's the most beautiful, underrated actress ever. Shopgirl is underrated too. I love Claire, she brings out the best in me, but I don't want to talk about me anymore, I want to talk about her. Claire's got a perfect butt and a gorgeous face, but most of all, the most beautiful heart.
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Carouself31 December 2006I cannot in a million years understand why anyone would give this movie a good review. There was never a reason for anything in the plot, there was no character development anywhere, and the dialogue was close to nearly non-existent. Are we supposed to feel sorry for this young, naive girl who first sleeps with a complete idiot who she can hardly stand being around? Who then turns around and starts having a long affair with an uninteresting senior citizen older than her father who makes it known up front that he has no long term interest in her? The only twists are when idiot and sleeze-ball also get some on the side. How do we suddenly go from Jeremy sleeping with blonde-bimbette counter girl who is trying to take naive Vermont I'm-not-a-prostitute-but-I'll-let-him-pay-for-anything-and-everything girl's sugar daddy, to the first two being back together and madly in love? Nothing makes sense this whole movie. You keep thinking it might suddenly come together and become more than black and white, BUT IT NEVER DOES. SKip this stinker. It's not worth the 50¢ it cost me to rent it.
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Josie_Crosby30 October 2005I went into Shopgirl with high expectations, and, unlike some other films that dissappoint me, all the hype was right this time. I loved this movie. Claire Danes was perfectly cast as Mirabelle, and seems able to pull off the "torn- between- two- men" role. Jason Schwartzman, who plays Jeremy, the first of the two men to fall for Mirabelle, is adorably goofy, and effortlessly slips into character. And Steve Martin, who plays Ray, the second (and *MUCH* older) man to fall for Mirabelle, is the kind of character who you want to dislike, but can't help falling for. I recommend this movie to anyone. It's an adorable, charming little gem of a film.
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AndyInThePieWithAlmonds31 October 2005This, considering some of the reviews, is a pretty good movie. It may be deemed unpalatable to see Steve Martin slobbering all over Claire Danes, but their relationship is presented in a realistic manner and in fact poses less of a problem than that between Danes and Jason Schwartzman. That coupling is unlikely at best, as the latter's character is uncultured to the point of mild retardation. As for the story itself, Shopgirl is diverting enough, and with an affecting underbelly of sadness, heightened by diversions such as Danes's battle against depression and the miserable tone of her parental home. For me however, it fails to answer the basic question asked by Danes towards the beginning of the movie as she is approached romantically by millionaire Martin - " why me?". Well indeed. In real life perhaps, but here the lead character appears as a gloomy semi-starved fashion tragedy, in a job that screams 'going nowhere'. The role is perfectly played, but contains little to entice jet-set love interest. The fate of the movie is, alas, unlikely to give a happy ending. This is far too pretentious for the brainless rom-com crowd and not quite profound enough for the indie set. For those who do discover it will be a nice if unmemorable surprise.
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dizzjay15 May 2007I didn't finish watching this film. I almost turned it off near the beginning because it was so boring, but decided to wait until Steve Martin appeared to see if it picked up at all. It didn't. I didn't believe in the relationship between Danes and Martin, she didn't seem like the kind of character that would be seduced with gifts of expensive gloves by a man 34 years older. It might have been believable if Steve Martin was handsome or charming, but he was neither. There was zero on-screen chemistry between Martin and Danes. The photography, lighting, music and acting were all excellent, just a poor script. One of the signs of a weak script is the use of voice over, like when Danes and Martin are having dinner and suddenly there's Steve Martin's voice over explaining what Claire Danes is thinking. Things like that should be demonstrated in the acting - show, don't tell.
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Stamp-328 October 2005Funny and sad, sweet and acerbic, Shopgirl is quite simply the most rewarding experience of the year. I have not read Steve Martin's novel, but from what I knew of it I kinda thought the movie would be good. What I did not expect was an experience so involving, so compelling and simply so delightful. Good, interesting characters start with the writing; great characters emerge when the actors enhance the writers vision. And we see three great examples of this here.
Everything about this film was note perfect; a terrific, slightly idiosyncratic story, wonderful scenes that sometimes have you laughing, sometimes wiping away a tear and always inviting your rapt attention. Terrific acting and direction which ensured that every scene was "just enough".
There is a word that is hardly ever used today, and if it is, it's usually in a sneering way; and that word is "sophistication". But "Shopgirl" is a truly sophisticated movie. Not in the superficial and secondary sense of being glamorous or even cultured, but in the better sense of intelligence, complexity and subtlety. And there is real intelligence at work here; and while all involved display it, it is Steve Martin's own vision that ultimately informs every aspect of the film.
The success of "Million Dollar Baby" gave me new respect for the Oscars; is it too much too hope that "Shopgirl" could achieve the same recognition? -
SPOILERS Steve Martin's career is hardly what it once was. A superb stand up comic who transferred to Hollywood, his career has been going down hill ever since the dreadful "Sgt Bilko" in 1996. As a comedian he's not as good as he used to be, but as an author his skill is still relatively fresh. Writer of 2005's "Shopgirl", Steve has created a screenplay of his own semi-autobiographical novel. Based around an aspiring artist looking for love, the story is a clever enough piece with some interesting insights into life. At the same time though, there are definite flaws. Irrelevant of his writing skills, Martin is still a mediocre actor, and worst of all is his irrelevant and pointless voice over which grows increasingly tiresome with time.
Mirabelle (Claire Danes) works at the glove department of a major department store. A depressive artist away from work, her affection is divided between the smart and charming older Ray (Martin) and the fun, albeit completely useless Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman). Which one is she going to choose? Definitely better when the hilarious Jeremy is on screen, "Shopgirl" is a fun enough 'chick flick' with some great lessons on life and romance. It reminds us of both the beauty and the torture of romance and how for all the joy, it also brings an immense amount of misery.
How love can turn so quickly is demonstrated best by the obscure relationship between Steve Martin and the impressive Claire Danes. Fluctuating between happy and sad at a moments notice, Danes is one of the finer points of the film. The character is passionate and Danes' ability is more than equal to the task.
Which is sadly more than can be said about Martin. Always a weak actor, Martin's rare talent has been to make us laugh in his earlier films. Sadly as the actor gets tired, so does his comedy talent. Playing an old romeo of sorts, Martin never seems to fit the part and his absolutely terrible voice over ruins the film. This happens not only because the voice over is badly timed and completely irrelevant, it manages to both destroy any emotion in the scene and points out the obvious. We know how Martin's character is feeling, we don't need a narration as well.
As a writer, Steve Martin still has a clever edge, and in "Shopgirl" this talent is more than demonstrated. Unfortunately as an actor his screen life has faded beyond an acceptable level and it's got to be time he disappears behind the camera permanently. Still, with his younger cast members, this story is acceptable. Often funny when Jason Schwartzman is present, it has some brilliant moments. It's just a shame the author manages to ruin things with his acting appearance. -
Tony-Kiss-Castillo28 February 2024SHOPGIRL, sadly, turned out to be quite a disappointment to me. Steve Martin is one of its three protagonists; here he is also credited with the screenplay, making an adaptation from his own novel of the same name. I have always been quite a fan of Steve Martin and his films. However, SHOPGIRL left me rather perplexed.
In its storyline development, it is meticulous and detailed and, as a consequence, is rather plodding and, for lack of a better word, "slow".
SHOPGIRL imparts the viewer with the constant sensation that something transcendent is just about to happen. A kind of "perpetual-motion expectation", which, when it finally does take place, ends up being utterly anti-climactic. In all fairness to SHOPGIRL, at least in one sense or another, this is, more often than not, precisely what we experience in real life!
But the painful inconvenient truth here is that there already have been too many movies that have shared this "secret" of life with us. Quite frankly, one more appears to be just one too many! Unless you are a world-class Claire Danes and/or Steve Martin fan, you'll be much better off if you don't let yourself get involved with SHOPGIRL.
Just 4**** ...ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA?!?!?!
Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome! -
tieman6430 June 2012"A woman needs to be held, even, and science has shown this, if its by someone she doesn't care about. Protective hormones are released, and the amount of hormones released depends on the degree to which she is held. The best is the complete surround; he wraps her in both arms, whispers how beautiful she is. When this happens, she feel completely, wonderfully like a woman." - Radio ("Shopgirl")
Fans of "Vertigo" and Todd Haynes' "Far From Heaven" should enjoy "Shopgirl", directed by an otherwise undistinguished Anand Tucker. With its retro clothing, careful location work, designer visuals, tapestry of voluptuous music and big, melodramatic brush-strokes, the film plays like a poor-man's Hitchcock, but such an aesthetic is rare in cinema, so we savour it here.
The plot? Claire Danes plays the miserable Mirabelle, a young woman from Vermont who works behind a Neiman Marcus glove counter in Beverly Hills. The film is based on a novella by actor/comedian Steve Martin. Both watch as Mirabelle struggles with loneliness in a sprawling, inhospitable LA, a city which seems to chew up and spit out fragile souls. Rescuing her from asphyxiation are two men, one a wealthy character played by Martin himself, another a young guy played by Jason Schwartzman. Both seem to love Mirabelle. The film traces Mirabelle's infatuation with the wealthy Martin, a man who treats her like a princess, and disgust with Jason, who treats her as a sex object. By the film's end, these relationships are somewhat reversed. Mirabelle learns that Martin isn't interested in a real relationship with her, is using her, and Jason learns to stop being a bum and treat people with respect.
The film's tale is old-news, some of its "quirky moments" grate and several of its subplots don't work at all. Where it does succeed is in its mood and style. Mirabelle's life is given a noirish, almost existential quality, like a sex drenched Hopper or Vetrianno painting, her tiny life constantly juxtaposed to distant shots of vast cities, highways and zillions of little granular people. Martin rescues her from this anonymity, these feelings of low self-worth, and is actually, unconventionally for such films, not portrayed as a bad guy. Selfish yes, but he gets her out of a rut and seems to genuinely care for her. Before it falls apart, we're also treated to a lovely colour palette – lots of blacks and greens, epitomising Mirabelle's noxious, toxic mind space – some interesting architecture (inhospitable urban LA, Duilio Damilano modernism, high street glitz/royalty, middle-class, Tuscan-style/Art-Deco apartment blocks) and shots which fawn over Danes' luscious womanness, watching as she shaves her legs, brushes her hair, fixes her clothes etc. The film tries to capture an old-school type of femininity; lots of curves, retro clothes and mannered poses.
"Shopgirl" was released one year after Sophia Coppola's "Lost in Translation". Both films cover similar ground, but with interesting differences. Coppola's film was written and directed by a young woman, "Shopgirl" by two elderly men. Coppola's was about a lonely young woman in an alienating city who falls in love with an old man, played by a comedian, "Shopgirl" does the same. Interestingly, the couple have sex in "Shopgirl", get close and break up, whilst never go this far in Coppola's film. Both tap into sleazy daddy-complexes, Coppola longing for older, protective guys, Martin drooling over young ladies but mature enough to recognise the seedier side of his tale. You might say "Shopgirl" is explicitly - even though it ultimately pardons its two men - about why the relationship in "Translation" seems attractive, but may be dangerous. And what's the Schwartzman character here, but the absent-minded boyfriend of the heroine in Coppola's film.
8/10 - Stylish, moody tale, eventually falls apart due to unnecessary quirkiness. Worth one viewing. See Todd Haynes' "Safe".