The Sound of Settling: SHOPGIRL

One could make a pretty legitimate debate out of who is having a bigger career renaissance right now, Steve Martin or Bill Murray. The answer is certainly not Chevy Chase. After watching the excellent SHOPGIRL, I'd have to go with Martin, who wrote and starred in this character comedy about a LA sales clerk (Claire Danes) who must choose between the old rich guy who is emotionally unavailable (Martin) and the young clueless slob who is emotionally retarded (Jason Schwartzman in his best performance ever). Based on Martin's novella, SHOPGIRL is smart, funny and emotionally engaging. Every performance sparkles and the director lets the scenes take the time they need to breath. My favorite moment in the movie is Martin's visit to Dane's tiny apartment. As she leaves to get 'wine' which is obviously so old it smells like vinegar, Martin has to sit on a futon in couch form, and anyone who has a little bit of a belly know how unflattering that is. He negotiates his posture for few seconds, and then a few seconds more. It is moment of brillance that captures the whole character, it's completely visual and cinematic, and is completely the result of the LOST IN TRANSLATION effect. Filmmakers feel free to let their stories breath, to sit and to grow. A good character based film is not a rush from scene to scene. It takes as long as it needs to. Remember all those scenes in BROKEN FLOWERS when Bill Murray just drives his car? And isn't it interesting I've listed to Murray movies after positing my debate question. Bill Murray may be getting the best roles of his career, but Steve Martin is writing them. He is making his own work. I think its only a matter of time before he begins directing as well.

The director of SHOPGIRL, Anand Tucker, is a unknown brit (HILLARY AND JACKIE his only other major credit), and he described the film as a classic Romance like the days of old. And though the movie feels well-directed, he really has a major misconception with what it is about. This is a movie about settiling. There is nothing less romantic than that. And its not a comfortable subject. It hurts to watch people lower expectations and just get by. But its what actually happens. And that is why the music Tucker chose for the film is so off. Lush strings, like the movies of old, lifting the characters up. Its really hokey. Not to mention dull, the same six notes over and over, until I'm begging for some Steve Reich (review for Dying Gaul upcoming). Anyway, it would be a minor problem with the film, if it wasn't so loud and constant... as it is now, the music really undercuts the tone and success of the film. Fortunately, this occcurs mostly during transitions, so you can tune it out a bit and focus on the imagery, which is always successful.

But the performances alone are worth going for (have to make a brief shout out here for supporting actress Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, the once 1st grade teacher in Billy Madison, who seems to have finally found her stride as a comic flusie ... and I guess she married Pete Sampras somewhere along the line). And the writing is amazing. SHOPGIRL is recommended for fans of Steve Martin, people who wish there was a My So Called Life after College, anyone who has ever worked retail, and anyone who goes through life passively (isn't that us all every once in a while). Rick's Rating: B+