There 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.
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.