Shopgirl

After some of the lesser films Steve Martin has been in lately, namely Cheaper by the Dozen, Bringing Down the House, and the like, it's a welcome sight to see him doing serious work. Shopgirl, adapted by Martin from his novella, is arguably his most serious work, and easily his most dramatic performance. However, in the world of Oscar prospects especially, the film will likely receive few accolades. Despite strong efforts from the cast, the film crashed between depressing drama and farcical comedy with none of the grace required.

The main issue with the film is Anand Tucker's direction. Only his second feature film, following 1998's Hilary and Jackie, Shopgirl is played far too serious. A heavy camera seems to plod its way through scene after scene. Several moments, mostly those with Jason Schwartzman in them, try to lighten things; but even some fairly good laughs cannot remove the feeling that this isn't a very happy film.

It is perhaps unfair to blame Tucker for the mood entirely. Similar complaints were leveled against Martin's original novella. But how much more endearing, how much more fun, this film would've been under someone like Rob Reiner. It is, after all, a comedy of relationship errors. There is drama here but the heart and soul of the story is in the laughter. The mistake is entirely in playing it as a drama with comedy, not a dramatic comedy.

The other main flaw is the tedious, and essentially needless, voice-over narration. Whether in screenplay format the narration read fine, or if it was added later to clarify the film for mainstream audiences, it detract. The actors are all capable enough to express their emotions without explanation. It is not hard to tell when a young woman goes home to an empty apartment and a cat that she is lonely. As remarked by a man sitting behind me: "A movie loses something when it has to be explained." The problem with the narration here is that Shopgirl doesn't need to be explained, but is.

Not helping the dreary atmosphere is Barrington Pheloung's ridiculously over-dramatic score. Echoing the work of Alexandre Desplat, especially Girl With a Pearl Earring (produced by Tucker), Pheloung seems insistent upon forcing drama into every note. The music plays less as an underscore than as an upstaging diva. Other technical work reaches must loftier heights. Nancy Steiner's endearing costume design, a cross between her work on The Virgin Suicides and a Day/Hudson comedy, gives instant heart to the characters. Danes' Mirabelle benefits the most. Likewise the art direction, by Sue Chan and David Smith, is delightful. Danes' apartment has an apt Vermont-meets-L.A. feel whereas Martin's two homes are cold and hollow, like his character.

The curious thing is that when all the elements come together Shopgirl is an enjoyable experience. As it was playing I really liked it. But when all is said and done there is something missing. Once you stop laughing you realize it is a profoundly unhappy film. Despite the strong and endearing performances the film is simply too sad to win any hearts, but well-meaning enough not to send any away.

One of the best of this year that I have seen. Writing was top notch, acting great, and set direction and cinematography outstanding! Many of the shots were jaw droppingly "wow." A really pretty movie to look at and an emotionally torturing movie to watch for someone closer to Martin's age than the rest of the cast.

Sure, Ray is playing out a fantasy that is kind of creepy, but there are women looking for that kind of relationship, just listen to Dr. Laura. And men too, of course. Plus, the voice over sets this up as it basically says she is looking for love to "find her" and Ray does, so this is built into the premise like it or not. Over the course of the movie she matures beyond her fantasy, and I would like to think Ray does as well, although that isn't as clear.

Claire Danes has become a lanky, elegant movie star in the old Hollywood tradition and "Shopgirl" showcases it without a doubt. She was always a good actress but now she's more than that. Her character is a genuine creation that moves in logical if unpredictable patterns. Steve Martin, the most self effacing of the contemporary American comedic geniuses, is becoming quasi french in his story telling style without betraying his utter Americaness. I have a feeling that he'll continue to surprise us and I for one will wait eagerly for his next move. The thinking clown if there ever was one. Jason Schwartzman belongs to the quirky Coppola, Nicolas Cageish school of acting and he is a delight. Odd and sexy in the most irresistible way. The film has an intellectual pace and a sad smile at its center. A real original American comedy for the new millennium.

Adapted by Steve Martin from the novella by Steve Martin and starring Steve Martin this constipated and passionless romance film it is fair to say can be blamed on this one time wild and crazy guy gone serious. The book, brief as it is runs out of steam after a promising start and this basically three character film would probably stagger around in the same lugubrious stupor were it not for the way Martin has to turn one of his characters into a zany deus ex machina in order to jolt some life into it for the film's bittersweet happy ending.

Vermont transplant Mirabelle Butterfield is an undiscovered artist working as a sales clerk at Sak's Fifth Avenue in LA. Unfulfilled and lonely (even her cat won't come out to greet her upon returning from a day's work)she meets and dates two completely different men. Jeremy is a man child that finds wonderment in neon signs and sees no problem in using plastic sandwich bags for a condom. Then there's sophisticate Ray Porter who has homes in LA and Seattle and gets around by private jet. Jeremy is quickly jettisoned once Mirabelle feels she has something more serious and tangible in her relationship with the wealthier and older Ray so he gets a job as a roadie and goes on tour with a rock band. Meanwhile Ray's feelings remain ambiguous. It eventually goes bad in the most mannerly of fashion just in time for the freshly scrubbed Jeremy to reappear.

Shopgirl has a sleek trendy look to it with it's stylish sets and well heeled characters roaming the upscale store, chic museums and fine restaurants as well as Porter's sterile residences. But the film plods along at an uninteresting pace because the film never really gets deeply into the characters. Without the interior monologue of the novella director Anand Tucker seems content to allow his characters to tell their stories with wan expressions of joy and sadness. To make sure you don't miss these telling glances he spends a lot of time overusing slow motion and employing a prodding music score to bring some life to the characters.

Claire Danes does what she can with the glum Mirabelle and it's not a whole lot since Tucker seems content to just film her pretty face in a series of reactions. She and Martin have some decent scenes with each other (especially when she attempts to cut back on her anti-depressent)but the relationship for the most part is tepid. Steve Martin is a disaster as Ray lacking the actors chops to show any emotion, even the restrained variety that the non-committal Porter protects himself with. In order to balance these dull lifeless creatures Tucker and Martin turn Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) into a lovable shaggy dog, cutely clueless and upbeat.

Shopgirl is Woody Allen territory without the comic irony and Erich Rohmer land without the introspection or depth of character. It's well mannered has a nice veneer but lacks the energy to ever really take off. Jeremy and Ray are cliché polar opposites, (old wild and crazy Steve versus the mature and refined Steve)but naturally caring and compassionate in their own way. Martin and Tucker refuse to employ negative capability to either character thus diluting the film's somber dramatic tone even more. Ray's passive interest lacks edge in either direction and the selfishness of his actions are betrayed by the makers need to almost make him as sympathetic as Mirabelle, thus stealing her thunder and reason to rage. It undermines Shopgirl which drably plays it safe from beginning to end.

It's no real secret that through his writing, Steve Martin has depth and sentimentality that Hollywood doesn't always let him show. He has shown signs of a longing to grow old gracefully (as his almost gimmick-free gigs as Oscar host have shown) and let his acerbic wit and insight drive projects more than the over-the-top slapstick antics of the 1970s Steve Martin.

It's also no real secret that many of his recent films have been far from great.

So, still having faith in the man, and having loved the novel on which this film is based, I went in to the cinema desperately wanting to like it, but expecting to be disappointed. Largely, I was pleasantly surprised that the novel did transfer well to the screen.

Some of the credit for this belongs to director Anand Tucker, who has created some powerful images of the hustle and bustle of the LA that Martin describes in the novel, and contrasts it well with the characters who lead shallow lives, trying to be something meaningful amongst all the chaos.

Credit also goes to the actors who show that longing that drives the situation: Claire Daines as Mirabelle clearly WANTS to be social, artistic, loved; Jason Schwartzman as Jeremy WANTS to be sensitive, witty, lovable; Martin as Ray Porter clearly WANTS to be suave and considerate. Without having many jokes in the script, audiences can still appreciate the humour by seeing these pathetic struggles. When I saw it there was plenty of laughter at all the right moments.

I will, however, hasten to add that there are parts of the book that never would have translated well to the Hollywood screen, and the praise that some give the movie for serving its purpose will contain the same reasons that others wish to knock it. The book's strength is that one can feel for the characters because they are portrayed as superficial people and their lives and conversations are so shallow in comparison to the narrative that sets them up. The reasons why it works so well as a book could well be the very things that cause it to not work on the screen. Then there's the matter of a book that's so rooted in "LA sux" sentiment being made into a Hollywood movie. So maybe the musical overkill reeked of "excuse me, we're trying to tell you something". Maybe the spots of narration felt out of place and indicated that Martin is not yet over his desire to spend his life as the 'star' of his projects (him getting top billing for the movie was also a bit much, in my opinion).

Ultimately, maybe the audience members who were longing for a film with more 'depth' and 'substance' were in actuality sharing the characters' longings for the same in their own lives. Maybe the 'criticisms' are in fact backhanded compliments that the film is largely doing just what it's meant to do.