Shopgirl Movie Review:


The title character in Shopgirl is a tortured soul who cannot escape her thoughts, fears and anguish. Transplanted from Vermont, she has recently taken up residence in Los Angeles. Her only solace is the beautiful drawings she does while alone. They give her a sense of peace.

Working all day for little compensation, Mirabelle (Claire Danes) is chronically broke and unable to pay off her student loans or make minimum payments on her credit cards. Each day she shuffles off to her post at the glove department of the Beverly Hills Saks department store. Because the glove section is tucked inconspicuousy into a small corner of the store, nobody stops by.

Mirabelle is stuck in this dead-end job with no way out. Will things get any better for her when millionaire Ray Porter (Steve Martin) walks in? Porter buys a pair of gloves and chats with Mirabelle at the counter, which lifts her spirits. For once, someone noticed her and spoke to her!

Porter lies to the store manager and obtains Mirabelle's address in order to send her the gloves. When the package arrives at her rundown apartment building, she wonders why this wealthy man would be interested in her. But, of course, she agrees to meet him for dinner. After all, her dating life has hit rock bottom. Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), the one guy she knows, is too weird and immature for her. He's like a leech who will not stop trying to suck her dry. He just doesn't get it when she refuses to call him, and he drives her crazy with answering machine messages.

Porter gives Mirabelle extravagant gifts and pays off her student loans. Surely this must be love! But to Porter, it's not a "relationship," merely an arrangement to see one another. Mirabelle misunderstands this "arrangement." She even explains to her friend that a commitment from Porter will come soon. Meanwhile, Porter tells his friend that he and Mirabelle have agreed to see other people.

Martin, who wrote the screenplay based on his novella, is good at playing characters like himself -- reserved, seemingly detached but possessing a humorous side and also compassionate yet hard to read. Porter comes across as a bit reserved, snooty and sophisticated. Still, you begin to like this character, and your sense of suspicion dwindles, as does Mirabelle’s.

Danes gives a fine performance in the difficult role of Mirabelle. She has to be depressed, delusional, heartbroken, smitten and emotional -- all at the same time -- in order to become the multi-layered character she portrays.

The direction by Anand Tucker is flawless. He knows how to string us along, build up to what we think will happen, and then deliver a surprising ending. Inevitably, this movie will be compared to the Oscar-nominated Lost in Translation (2003). Shopgirl hits close to home in terms of the truth about relationships that may not be real nor meant to flourish.



Geoffrey Roberts

There's an epic quality that threatens to swamp this simple love story--tricky and fluid cinematography, a richly sumptuous Barrington Pheloung score, a slightly intrusive voiceover. But it's still one of the most intelligent and satisfying romances in ages.

Mirabelle (Danes) works at the glove counter in Saks. From Vermont, she finds Los Angeles a lonely place, and is encouraged by a radio chat show to find a man, any man, for company. First up is Jeremy (Schwartzman), an adorable loser with an askance look at life and hundreds of little tics. Second is Ray (Martin), a seductive older man who's charming, wealthy and successful. Deep down, both men are essentially the same. But only one has the capacity to reciprocate Mirabelle's love.

Martin's screenplay is wry and observant, sharply funny and strongly emotional, full of details that draw us in to all three flawed characters. It's about the hope of finding a connection with someone, and Martin fills it out with hysterically astute side characters (Wilson-Sampras is superb as Mirabelle's jealous colleague) and deftly imagined sequences (the first dates are classic film scenes, and the second date with Jeremy is even funnier). The story also touches on things like self-help tapes and anti-depressants, which seems rather gimmicky, but adds texture.

Tucker directs with a stylish grandeur that kind of distracts from the story's simplicity. But he also he captures the characters' nervous energy, staying centred on their expectations and perceptions. Danes opens Mirabelle's soul beautifully--sexy, strong, smart, fragile, fascinating. Martin adds a touch of melancholy that keeps Ray from becoming a dirty old man; while Schwartzman's Jeremy is a likeable bundle of nerves who actually runs much deeper. All three are funny, vulnerable, over-eager and sometimes not very likeable. But they're so authentic that we can't help but identify with them, especially in their weaknesses.

This is witty, observant filmmaking about loving and making sure that the other person feels loved beyond whatever words we say. Sure, this isn't hugely original, but with such strong writing, directing and acting, it's a little film that does some great things.



Rich Cline

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