Shopgirl

Shopgirl (Director: Anand Tucker)














Tucker's most recognizable work is Hilary & Jackie. Steve Martin adapted the screenplay from his own novel.

Love triangles in movies are rarely done with any sort of fairness, and I cite the Titanic model. Not to say that movie was exploring love triangles in general, but the love story is complicated by a third party. What many movies do is have a woman in a relationship with one man who you could never imagine that woman ever talking to, much less thinking about marrying, and then the perfect man comes along and swoops her away. What a choice...and what a choice for the viewer. Hmm...asshole or knight, asshole or knight...














Shopgirl gets that right. Mirabelle (Claire Danes) works at a Saks in L.A., and encounters a funny slacker named Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman). They begin the awkward romance, but Jeremy's slackery ways sort of leave Mirabelle open to other romances, such as with the rich and distiguished Ray Porter (Martin). As things begin awkwardly with these two, Jeremy goes on the road with a rock band--it's his sort of growing-up experience. That might seem to be the way it all plays out, but Ray is the type of guy who romances in a way where he establishes a line in the hopes not to get hurt, and of course, ends up hurting the other party.

The story doesn't center on Mirabelle having to make a big decision or anything. Much like last week's Prime, this focuses on adult relationships and isn't into madcap plot devices to force the movie into some tearful ultimate point. Jason Schwartzman turns in his most memorable performance since Rushmore, and the movie slightly suffers from his absence. As good as Martin (in full dramatic mode) and Danes are, you realize how much you miss Schwartzman when he comes back onscreen--and perhaps that's the point. It is a movie that likely gets better with future viewings, and that's a good sign.

It's a good date movie, and one that won't leave you feeling dumb afterwards.