A film based on the book by the same name - Shopgirl written by Steve Martin (yes, the same amazing actor who made Father of the Bride, Bowfinger, LA Story popular and created a whole new meaning for the word Humour in english movies)
I had read this book couple of years back and liked it, and so following suit I picked up the dvd to watch the movie a couple of days back. This story is about a complex Love Triangle between a girl, Mirabelle Buttersfield( Claire Danes) who works at Saks Fifth avenue(a very bored shop girl, who is from Vermont and who pursues her art of taking self photographs and then sketching them into blacn n white pictures ) , a very wealthy dashing businessman, Ray Porter(Steve Martin) and a lost aimless young guy, Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman)
Steve martin’s voice is the 1st thing you hear as the movie begins describing the sedantary life of Mirabelle and how she stands at her Glove counter at Saks, where hardly anyone buys a Glove and how she has no life outside of that. She gets back to her apartment and leads a lonely life.. She then meets Jeremy at the Laundermat, where he makes the first move and introduces himself and then after a couple of days calls her and asks her out. It is absolutely hilarious the way they sit on the pavement adj to the Imax and he says he just enjoys sitting there and staring at the Fonts(he talks about having created a couple of fonts )till she volunteers to go Dutch on the ticket and he then asks her"can I borrow $2 please:) " .. The scene then moves on to where Mirabelle realises he has no money, no dream, no life and she has no interest in him .
Couple of days later , a smart classy gentleman walks to her counter and asks her to choose between a Grey and Black glove , and she chooses the Black one saying it is the Safe choice, only to receive the same a couple of days later at her doorstep. Thus begins the unfolding of the tale which is filled with emotions, humour and love that talks about Mirabelle and the lives of the men she goes out with..
Mirabelle falls in love with the glamorous Ray, and her life takes amagical turn, with every night filled with a dinner or rendevouz at his apartment, going to the Art gallery, etc but for him its nothing more than an affair in the passing, and so eventually she realizes that she must empower herselfand make a choice between them..
During the time she is involved with Ray, Jeremy’s life also goes through a metamorphisis, he goes on the road with a rock band, where he is given headphones to listen to everything from music, yoga, relationship talk, women talk and this makes him a whole new man. Someone who turns a new leaf, and looks nothing like the guy at the Laundermat.
Time is the only catalyst that helps Mirabelle decide what she wants out of life. Even though Ray makes it clear, its not a long term thing, she falls for him and gets hurt and there comes the new Jeremy who floors her with his charm and sweet nature and ultimately who does she choose is what Shopgirl is all about .
This is a movie that is a must see for all, not for Steve martin(yea, ofcourse for him as well..hehe) but for the way it has been told, such simplicity , it seems like someone took a couple of pages from a simple girl’s life and made it into a movie. NO frills and fancy, just Dialogues that keep the rhythm going and this is what makes the movie stand out from the other Family/Romance/Comdey movies that are being churned out by the dozen in Hollywood.
When you are done watching this movie, it will sure leave you smiling and also make you realise that it takes all kinds of people to make this world go around...
Happy watching~!!!