Movie Review: Shopgirl

**lemon boy** · 11-22-2005, 10:07 AM

I've been lax a couple of weeks ago we went and saw the movie Shopgirl.

I really enjoyed it, I mean immensely. Like a lot.

Shopgirl is now going to be the standard by which all book to movies shall be judged. I mean, when one of this country's most talented writers happens to be just a superb actor goes and, writes the book, the screenplay and stars in the movie well it better be a good adaptation, and it is good.

The thing that really worked for me is that the film perfectly catches the emotional qualities of the book, it gave me the exact same feelings watching as it did reading which I found to be a somewhat surreal experience. Tender, melancholy, heartening and oddly true to life: my adjectives can do no justice to Martin's ability to evoke emotion. Sorry for being all sappy, there may be some plotholes and other stuff that a crabbier reviewer could harp on but I wouldn't have noticed them b/c the whole movie is like a tuning fork perfectly resonating a note from the book for 2 hours. I also think that Claire Danes is HOT.

As with all movies, it just can't be as good as the book but goddamned is it close. For the record: Shopgirl the book fits easily into my top 25 books.

No lemons on this one as I'm not a huge movie consumer.

If you take a date to this one, you will get laid

**Woodsy** · 11-22-2005, 04:44 PM

loved the novella, heard mixed reviews about the movie...

**shirk** · 11-22-2005, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

If you take a date to this one, you will get laid

Always good to know. Have to add it to the list.

**The AD** · 06-25-2006, 10:51 AM

Bumping this because I just watched this DVD. I'd rate it below average. It wasn't bad, just sort of boring. Danes was just sort of there (and I think she looked homely more often than she looked hot). The Jason Schwartzman character was sometimes entertaining, but usually just strange. Steve Martin was dull as hell. Yeah, maybe that's what his character was supposed to be, but it made for a somewhat tedious movie.

On the positive side was the appearance of one of my favorite musicians: Mark Kozelek (as the rocker Luther who invites Schwartzman along on tour with his band).

**eDub** · 06-25-2006, 01:46 PM

Just saw this and I gotta agree with Lemon Boy.

Not an easy movie to watch (not a comedy and the mood is generally very dark), but totally worth it.

**bigtrubs** · 06-25-2006, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by The AD

Bumping this because I just watched this DVD. I'd rate it below average. It wasn't bad, just sort of boring. Danes was just sort of there (and I think she looked homely more often than she looked hot). The Jason Schwartzman character was sometimes entertaining, but usually just strange. Steve Martin was dull as hell. Yeah, maybe that's what his character was supposed to be, but it made for a somewhat tedious movie.

On the positive side was the appearance of one of my favorite musicians: Mark Kozelek (as the rocker Luther who invites Schwartzman along on tour with his band).

I'm going to disagree with your opinion on the movie. I think the whole point of having Danes as the object of affection is that she is rather homely and that is why she is stuck behind a glove counter at Saks, and it makes it all that much more unbelievable that some uber-rich oldie wants her for a sleepover friend. However, he isn't some glamorous old man, he's just a rich kind of boring old man. It makes a lot of sense that a really spacey guy like Schwartzman would go for a girl like Danes, because a character like him wouldn't be able to score a serious hottie had someone else been starring in the film. I think Martin keeps it realistic but manages to keep it surreal enough that it isn't totally boring. I really enjoyed the film.

**BeanDip4All** · 06-26-2006, 08:08 AM

I really liked this movie... it seemed like the characters all had real personalities and quirks.

One of my good friends in NYC works in film, and the other day, she mentioned to me “I tell you, you could kill yourself reading the scripts that come in. Nine out of ten times the lead woman is described as “beautiful”. Seriously. And that’s it. No personality traits, no quirks, nothing. It’s like real characters have been replaced with Stepford Wives.”

Claire Daines might be "homely" however I think what they were going for was to show why someone would be intrieged by her vs. the generic blonde at Saks.

Claire's character also drove THE SAME EXACT CRAPPY BEATER TRUCK that I drove for four years (pre-Tacoma) so that sort of warmed my heartstrings towards her

**The AD** · 06-26-2006, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by bigtrubs

I think the whole point of having Danes as the object of affection is that she is rather homely and that is why she is stuck behind a glove counter at Saks

True, I was more or less replying to lemon boy who said she was hot.

**cj001f** · 06-26-2006, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by The AD

True, I was more or less replying to lemon boy who said she was hot.

I thought she was hot, but not in an overtly hot manner.

**eDub** · 06-26-2006, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by cj001f

I thought she was hot, but not in an overtly hot manner.

Seconded.

**irul&ublo** · 06-26-2006, 11:17 AM

Hey Lemon Boy....did you watch Steel Magnolias too?

**RootSkier** · 06-26-2006, 11:51 AM

Right after Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants while drinking banana daquiris (blended, of course)

**cj001f** · 06-27-2006, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

Right after Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

He's gay - not a pedophile. That movie's like the OC meets an ABC afterschool special.

**eDub** · 06-27-2006, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by cj001f

He's gay - not a pedophile. That movie's like the OC meets an ABC afterschool special.

Whereas you HAVE seen it apparently.

**cj001f** · 06-27-2006, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by eDub

Whereas you HAVE seen it apparently.

WTF else are you supposed to do in Canberra? It makes Mirabelle Buttersfield's initial existance look bountiful and fulfilling and Des Moines a nightlife capital.