Shopgirl (2005)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338427/
Director: Anand Tucker / Script: Steve Martin
Runtime: 106min
Cast: Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwarzman
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Tagline: Relationships don't always fit like a glove.

On the one hand an immature, messy and penniless guy, who is young. On the other hand a wealthy and charming gentleman, who could be your dad. Who would you choose? I didn’t know that Steve Martin actually writes screenplays or novels. This film adaptation of his novel was actually interesting and even if not particularly outstanding it made me want to write about it. The movie presents a love triangle consisting of Mirabelle – a bored salesgirl, Jeremy – an aimless young fellow, and Ray – a wealthy but aging man.

I liked that the story was very close to becoming reality any time. Love triangles, affairs, rich men being involved with young women; such things happen in life. The movie is about a particular one. The way the two men are presented, as Mirabelle encounters them, make the viewers want to choose Ray; he is so stylish, charming and gentlemanly. Jeremy, in contrast to Ray, seems just a moron; immature, weird and terribly messy. No wonder Mirabelle falls in love with Ray. They have a beautiful affair; the problem is only that Ray doesn’t want anything more than just an affair. I found it hard to understand why he couldn’t take the responsibility of loving someone. He has the privilege of going out with a pretty and young woman, and he doesn’t appreciate it. But I already said too much. The cast is fine, Claire Danes is illuminating as Mirabelle; for the role of Ray I read that Tom Hanks was considered, but eventually Steve Martin got to play it, because he figured he was more suitable being so familiar with the script. I must say, I don’t know who wanted Mirabelle to wear such old-fashioned dresses; from the many she wore during the movie, I think I liked only two. But it was fine, she wasn’t the femme fatale type of character; she was rather modest and still beautiful. And fortunately, Jeremy changed a bit by the end of the movie; he became more normal an emotionally more mature.

The movie made me understand why some women prefer wealthy and aging men; helped me see the advantages of such a relationship. But also provided me with a different perspective: wealthy and aging men aren’t always doing anything to keep the attention of a young woman. It truly is an intelligent and sophisticated movie.