I saw ShopGirl a while ago, but in a recent conversation I was discussing the complexities of this movie and the relationship between Mirabelle (Claire Danes) and Ray (Steve Martin), so I thought I'd share. It's not a review or a synopsis just some commentary. Enjoy.
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It took me a bit to get into ShopGirl, but I'm a Claire Danes fan from her My So-Called Life days, so I'll watch her in just about anything, so I stuck with it. The pace of the movie is slower (and quieter) than many are used to, but the beginning is the part that is the slowest, then it gradually picks up to a more comfortable pace.
I had to watch half of the movie before I was appreciating the simplicity of this look into Mirabelle's (Claire Danes) life. It's not a movie I see myself watching over and over again though. In some ways, I think it could be described as somewhat depressing. I mean, her life isn't exactly the kind you aspire to have, but I think it was just kind of this girl's sometimes sad reality that we saw unfold throughout the film. She was like a kept woman, for lack of a better description, in so many ways. The relationship revolved around his wants, not hers, but she came to think of them as her wants, even though they really weren't.
The movie was very good with exceptional acting, but there were definitely uncomfortable moments, necessary to the story and for reflection, but still uncomfortable. One such moment was when Steve Martin's character (Ray) told her in the end that he loved her, after she had decided to move on, when she would have given anything to hear that before this time when they were together. It was cruel for him to confess this love for her at this point. I couldn't decide if he really meant it or if was he just trying to make her as miserable as he was to a certain extent. I don't think he was overly miserable. I think he had the life he said he wanted, but again, his life was not what dreams are made of by any stretch of the imagination, besides him having money. I found his existence to be very solitary and lonely, despite people being around him and despite his wealth.
There was beauty in the simplicity of this story. ShopGirl was in so many ways as if they put a camera in her apartment, his house, and the store and we were just watching their lives unfold. I think I remember it being described as an extraordinary story about ordinary life, which is truly captures the essence of this film.
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