Friday, June 02, 2006

Some Simple Shopgirl Thoughts

Watched Shopgirl last night. Steve Martin's novella is definitly better than his screenplay directed by Anand Tucker. The film just went sort of slow, and Martin's novella is written with such a wonderful tone that the film cannot echo.

I commend Martin because I think this story really has an excellent lesson about loving a whole person, not just part of a person.

The film is excellently cast...no one else could do as well as Jason Schwartzman at playing the part of Jeremy. Claire Danes also does a wonderful job. (I don't think I've seen Danes in any thing since Igby Goes Down)

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8 comments:

Jim Jannotti said...

I laughed so hard reading Shopgirl that I had to leave the Fort Worth coffeeshop in which I was sitting, out of politeness to the other patrons.

As with New World, this was one I was excited to see and then skipped for unknown reasons.

Have you read Martin's "The Pleasure of My Company"?

RC said...

i haven't read "The Pleasure of My Company"...do you recommend it?

woobot said...

The production designer, Bill Arnold, did a nice job creating a realistic dingy L.A. Love the laundry mat, his apartment, and hers... all very Silverlake.

JW said...

I liked the movie and Schwartzman was hilarious, but Martin's awful narration kind of really soured it for me.

AWG said...

Jason Schwartzman is one of my favorite young actors - ever since "Rushmore." And then there was his role as the weasly clothing store guy in "Freaks and Geeks."

Sher said...

Slow is a bit of an understatement. Saw it in the theater, and I can say that's probably one of the most unwise uses of $8.50 of my entire life!

*Dream Weaver* said...

I just watched shopgirl too and i felt that it was kind of slow too and draggish at certian places but i liked it :)

StinkyLulu said...

I sorta really liked it when I saw it in the theatre. (Though Martin's narration didn't work as well on screen as it did in the audiobook.)

But I honestly think Claire Danes' performance was one of the best of the year & it got completely forgotten because the film was so oddly received.