SHOPGIRL

Reviewed by Humby:

Steve Martin wrote the novella that SHOPGIRL is based on. He also wrote, produced, and stars in the movie, alongside Claire Danes and Jason Schwartzman. Having only seen the trailer, I was not prepared for what the movie is actually about.

It is NOT a quirky comedy, but a very interesting look at love, relationships and what we think is good for us rather than what actually is. If you are able to block out the trailer and just go with the movie, it confronts these questions with perspective, intelligence and patience. What does it mean to love someone that will never love you back the way that you need them to?
Claire Danes plays a 'shopgirl' that has to choose between two men in her life. Schwartzman's character is, quite frankly, a screw-up with no money, career, class, or clue about how to treat a woman. He does, however, have a good heart. “Are you one of those guys that once you get to know them… they are really great?” That is him to a tee.

Martin is the opposite. He is older, rich, has a career and is the epitome of class. He knows exactly what to say to make a woman feel like the most important person on the planet. The problem is that he doesn’t possess the innocence and emotional availability that Schwartzman does. What should she do? Whom should she choose? Why is this such an important choice for her?

I wont get into the details of what happens to whom, but I will say that the film goes in some interesting directions and takes you to realistic and painful places. I think that the trailer will end up hurting this film for the reason why I ended up really liking it. It is not what I expected it to be. This is a smart look at relationships from the perspective of a young woman.