By By Mike Fordham
Plenty of comedians inevitably write books. Instead of a memoir or re-hashing old bits, funnyman Steve Martin opted to write a novella.
That very story is the basis for the film Shopgirl, starring the Saturday Night Live veteran himself.
Claire Danes portrays Mirabelle, a Vermont native who ends up in Los Angeles. Her art is about the only direction she has in her life, besides a lackluster job at the glove counter at Saks Fifth Avenue. A chance meeting with Jeremy (Jason Schwarztmann) results in a quirky, cute relationship that never fully materializes. Complicating the situation, is Jeremy’s decision to be a band’s roadie for several months.
Enter Ray Porter (Martin), a wealthy, older businessman with multiple luxurious homes. Sensing a lonely, kindred spirit, Porter decides to woo Mirabelle despite their May-December dynamic. Ray’s mischievous behavior and the sudden, unexpected return of Jeremy, force Mirabelle to choose between suitors.
Porter and Mirabelle’s relationship is the true focus of the film. It’s quite reminiscent of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation-a beautifully detailed portrait of the bond between two lost souls. Porter’s frequent business trips alienate Mirabelle and himself.
As Mirabelle, Danes mirrors Dustin Hoffman’s Ben in The Graduate. Both are disenfranchised loners simply drifting through their lives. Whereas Hoffman’s character was engaging, Danes’ Mirabelle never really captures the audience’s interest. Her subtleness fits the role, but it’s difficult to get behind a character who is so unsure of herself.
It’s about time that Martin left behind the likes of Cheaper By The Dozen and Bringing Down The House. Certainly, he is one of the comedic greats of our time. Like Murray, however, Martin can make the jump to drama and be just as stellar. Throughout Shopgirl, Martin balances being a caring, older man, while also coming across as a lecherous creep.
Schwartzmann fulfills the role of a naive but well-intentioned slacker. After his breakout performance in Rushmore, it’s been tough for Schwartzmann to be a leading man. Perhaps Shopgirl can set him back on the path to stardom. Schwartzmann can easily transition from a grungy and eccentric artist to a white suit-clad playboy, as seen when Jeremy returns to LA and undergoes a suave makeover.
In an instance of great casting, Mark Kozelek plays Luther, the leader of the band that Jeremy helps on the road. It should not come as a surprise that Kozelek is an actual musician, as he gives a very credible and truthful performance as a rock ‘n’ roll singer (Kozelek was also in the fictional group Stillwater in Cameron Crowe’s film Almost Famous). Kozelek, of Red House Painters fame, is one of the few rockers who have made a successful segue into film. Also, several of his gorgeous solo songs are used in Shopgirl.
A strange part of Shopgirl is Martin’s narration of the film. His voice-overs occur infrequently, but clash with the fact that Martin portrays a character in the film. It’s well understood that Martin wrote the book and would naturally like to narrate, but this decision only leads to confusion.
Still, Shopgirl is a sterling effort. Though the film clocks in under two hours, the audience is never bored. Director Anand Tucker spices up the film with some dazzling zooms and transitions (a star-filled sky ends up as an overhead shot of Mirabelle in bed).
Schwartzmann and Kozelek radiate with talent and honesty. Hopefully, this could be the start of the revival of Steve Martin’s career. Shopgirl’s mix of comedy and touching drama make for an all-around enjoyable film.
Final Grade: B+