Personal Shopper

I don't know much about ghost stories, but I have been gravitating to them of late. This one is the most realistic one I have run into so far. A woman's twin-brother has passed away and she is preoccupied with an oath they had made, whoever dies first will try to pierce the divide and leave a sign for the other. There is a rather sadistic soundtrack consisting of a free-floating sonar-like program but instead of underwater, we get a generalized array of ambient tracks from whatever locale our POV character happens to be at the time and at an extremely high decibel level. If the idea is to keep the viewer a little on edge, it succeeds. There is an extraordinarily realistic visitation scene which frightens. There is a sequence where an unknown texter is harassing the survivor, which under the circumstances, is more than a little eerie.

The denouement is predictably unclear except perhaps for especially perceptive viewers of which I do not belong. But an explanation is there that seems quite convincing (I had to read it from a review) which I give the movie credit for. It's not just a scary story that leads nowhere.

I normally like when arthouse touches on horror but this piece of crap didn't do anything for me. Neither as a drama nor a genrefilm.

And the 30 minute scene of Kirsten Stewart texting is by far the most laughable non-cinematic experience I've ever had. The director needs o go back to film school.

First it seems like a haunted house trope, but no, then a ghost hunt, nope, then some kind of mystery thriller, but neither... It´s ultimately a grief film that drags on and on, relying exclusively on Kristen Stewart to sustain everything. It´s so subtle is almost not even there. To people who might make it to the end here´s a fine minimalistic drama that holds back from many clichés, a serious story, too serious maybe. There are a couple of great moments but it isn´t really rewarding. It just disguises a realistic drama as a ghost story, which is not the best idea cause it calls for an audience bound to be disappointed. I´m trying to like it but it´s just not good enough, it seems to add slightly relevant events just to fill the runtime. And it is confirmed, Kristen Stewart can´t smile. She tries at one point and it was like watching Wednesday Addams all over again.

Another movie where Kristen Stewart plays Kristen Stewart. I mean, come on; the gal can't act to save her life and yet everyone seems to be oblivious to the fact. The script is bad. Some lines are downright ridiculous, and the screenwriter seems to have been blind to the thin line between intriguing unanswered questions and plot holes. If you are willing to fill in the gaps with your imagination, though, and you don't mind the excruciatingly slow pace, you may enjoy the movie.

I saw this movie a few days ago and have been haunted by it ever since. I am writing this review more to clarify my own thoughts and feelings rather than to try and influence anyone to see (or not see) it. I have always believed the sexiest/most compelling thing about a woman is her confidence, and, for me, Personal Shopper is the cinematic equivalent of that belief. I cannot remember ever seeing a movie so supremely confident in itself, which kept my eyes glued to the screen wanting to know more. Director Olivier Assayas managed to create a film that is so sure of itself it defies all genres, conventions, and expectations. He found a perfect balance between not caring what the audience thinks about his movie without alienating or insulting his audience with how much he doesn't care. No emotional manipulation or trying to cater to/please the widest possible audience here, which is so very refreshing. This is what he has to say. Take it or leave it. Love it or hate it. So, while it is not the best movie I have ever seen and has it's flaws, I am still giving it a very high rating for daring to be different. On a side note, taste in movies is extremely subjective, so I can understand and respect the reasons why other reviewers gave this movie such low ratings. However, I do not agree with the common practice of putting down other reviewers/calling them idiots for having different opinions. In a perfect world, I wish we could all just agree to disagree without being hateful/hurtful. Peace.