Running time: 104 minutes
Starring: Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwartzman
Rating 6 out of 10
The shopgirl of the title of Steve Martin's new film is Mirabelle (Claire Danes), who works in the glove department of a classy LA store. Mirabelle has recently moved to the big city from the sticks, and as a result has few friends, spending most evenings alone in her cheap apartment. But when two men simultaneously enter her life, she has a big decision to make.
Ray (Martin) is a rich customer at her store, who one day asks Mirabelle to dinner. Despite the age gap, Mirabelle accepts: they embark upon an affair and Mirabelle enjoys Ray's big house and the material benefits he brings. But he is unable to commit to her emotionally, and their relationship is a rather basic and cold one emotionally. On the other hand when she meets Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) in the local laundrette, it's a completely different story. Jeremy is wild, poor and left-field, but he is much more in tune with his emotions than Ray's cold fish. Mirabelle therefore faces a choice: money and comfort with Ray, or something approaching a proper relationship with Jeremy.
Based on Martin's own novella, and directed by English filmmaker Anand Tucker (who last appeared on our screens as the director of Hilary and Jackie), Shopgirl has a striking charm about it. But viewers should be prepared for a cold an urbane Steve Martin, not the wild and wacky character he is most famous for. His performance is more akin to LA Story or The Spanish Prisoner than The Jerk or even Bowfinger.
The resulting tone of the film is often sombre, with few lighter moments to relax the tone. Consequently, audiences are likely to be divided by it: some seeing it as a work of art, beautifully shot and depicting a classic modern moral dilemma. Others, however, may be driven to distraction by its funereal pace, and may find Martin's Ray as something of a predatory creep who should leave the much younger Mirabelle alone.
Nevertheless it's certainly an intriguing watch, and in Tucker's hands, Los Angeles looks beautiful. It's Danes as the object of both men's affection who steals the show, as she so often does: not only is her beauty intoxicating, but she really makes us believe in the poor girl trying to make it in the city. Anyone who has seen Schwartzman in Spun or I Heart Huckabees will be familiar with his performance, which seems to change little from film to film. Overall it's a film which attempts to be all grown-up and sophisticated, but some viewers will find a little on the immature side.
Paul Hurley
Ray (Martin) is a rich customer at her store, who one day asks Mirabelle to dinner. Despite the age gap, Mirabelle accepts: they embark upon an affair and Mirabelle enjoys Ray's big house and the material benefits he brings. But he is unable to commit to her emotionally, and their relationship is a rather basic and cold one emotionally. On the other hand when she meets Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) in the local laundrette, it's a completely different story. Jeremy is wild, poor and left-field, but he is much more in tune with his emotions than Ray's cold fish. Mirabelle therefore faces a choice: money and comfort with Ray, or something approaching a proper relationship with Jeremy.
Based on Martin's own novella, and directed by English filmmaker Anand Tucker (who last appeared on our screens as the director of Hilary and Jackie), Shopgirl has a striking charm about it. But viewers should be prepared for a cold an urbane Steve Martin, not the wild and wacky character he is most famous for. His performance is more akin to LA Story or The Spanish Prisoner than The Jerk or even Bowfinger.
The resulting tone of the film is often sombre, with few lighter moments to relax the tone. Consequently, audiences are likely to be divided by it: some seeing it as a work of art, beautifully shot and depicting a classic modern moral dilemma. Others, however, may be driven to distraction by its funereal pace, and may find Martin's Ray as something of a predatory creep who should leave the much younger Mirabelle alone.
Nevertheless it's certainly an intriguing watch, and in Tucker's hands, Los Angeles looks beautiful. It's Danes as the object of both men's affection who steals the show, as she so often does: not only is her beauty intoxicating, but she really makes us believe in the poor girl trying to make it in the city. Anyone who has seen Schwartzman in Spun or I Heart Huckabees will be familiar with his performance, which seems to change little from film to film. Overall it's a film which attempts to be all grown-up and sophisticated, but some viewers will find a little on the immature side.
Paul Hurley
