Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Coming of love, August 12, 2006
Let me start of by saying that I loved this movie. I loved it for the simpleness in which this story is presented. I loved it for its acting, the wonderful portrayal of interesting characters by three wonderful actors. I loved it for its unassuming telling of a what I like to coin a "coming of love" story. I loved it for its character development and for the way humor is interweaved.
This is the story of Mirabelle, portrayed by Claire Daines, a twenty-something girl from Vermont that is living in L.A. and works as a shop girl in a famous department store. Each night, Mirabelle comes home to her plain second story apartment, calling for her cat Sylvia that continously hides from her. Mirabelle's life is as simple as her wishes. She is not out for fame or fortune, but rather is looking to be recognized as a person who is valuable, has something to offer and should be loved for all the right reasons. When Mirabelle meets Jeremy, a scruffy artist that is awkward and socially inept, she gets involved with him because "sometimes women just want to be held", as she hears on a radio talk show. But there is no romance with Jeremy and when Ray Porter, an older rich man offers her roses, dinners and polite conversations, Mirabelle is soon swept up by his gentlemanly behavior. While Ray can offer her all the things that young girls dream off - beautiful dresses, quiet dinners by candle lights, weekend trips to NYC - he also remains emotionally distant. The viewer watches Mirabelle get involved with both men, learning not only about herself and what is important to her, but also about life's and love's complications.
While the story centers around Mirabelle, both Ray and Jeremy are also very well developed as characters. Ray, portrayed by Steve Martin, is a man who does not allow himself to open up emotionally and eventually recognizes that he may have missed out on love all together. Jeremy, portrayed by Jason Schwartzman, comes to recognize that there is much more to be found in a partner than just a body for sexual adventures. The one criticism I have is around Martin's secondary role as the omnipresent narrator of the story. His background narration seems out of place and is often not needed, as the story is so well portrayed by the characters themselves.
In the end, this is a story with characters that the viewer can relate to in one way or another. It is not a story of finding the ideal partner in life, but rather about recognizing that life, love and relationships are complicated. This is not your typical Hollywood love story and don't expect a fabulously idealized romantic ending. What this movie does very well, though, is to portray a very realistic portrayal of what actually happens in relationships and how people cope with breakups, dates and life itself.
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22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It Goes as it Goes, November 2, 2005
Contemplative, serene and very very quiet, "Shopgirl"manages to makes its points through the piling up of many small, muted gestures and kabuki-like scenes.
Mirabelle (Claire Danes in a subtle, ingratiating performance) is lonely and her job as a Saks 5th Avenue salesgirl affords her no opportunity to meet anyone...that is until she meets super-rich Ray Porter (Steve Martin) and at the same time super-poor, Jeremy ( a manic Jason Schwartzman).
Like the novella on which it is based, "Shopgirl" offers up a simple triangle of three lost souls looking for a mate: Mirabelle, the dreamer without the wherewithal emotionally or socially to do much about pursuing her dreams, Ray: filthy-rich, worldly...who sees what he wants in Mirabelle and easily gathers up her bony, rail thin soul in his arms and Jeremy: bright, ambitious, socially and physically inept bursting with big love and big feelings who targets Mirabelle as the receptacle for all of his stuff.
All of this ends on a bittersweet note: neither tragic nor heart-poundingly upbeat. But like Life outside of the Movies: it goes like that sometimes.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly moving and funny, December 29, 2006
Based on the novella of the same name by Steve Martin, this deeply moving, sometimes funny film feels like a glimpse into reality for movie watchers. Here we have characters that are truly affected by what takes place around them. That have real emotions and react to real situations. What results is a slowly-unfolding story of love, lust, and how humans deal with it all.
Claire Daines plays a 20-something who moved from Vermont to LA to make a name for herself as an artist. She starts dating a young slacker (Jascon Schwartzman) and soon after also starts dating an older entrepreneur (Steve Martin). Each time she goes on a date with Martin we see the awkwardness that results in an older man pursuing a (much) younger woman. But it's never played off for simple laughs. It is shown to us in a very realistic honest way.
Although the film could be classified as a romantic comedy, or a dark comedy, or a light drama... or something along those lines, I don't think it really falls into any of those categories. It's more the story of a young woman finding her way in life. Claire Danes is remarkable, and so are Martin and Schwartzman. The acting in this film really help set the mood, as does the lighting, and cinematography. It really feels like this film was put together very carefully for our viewing pleasure.
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