Almost every detail is perfect. The DP's work is astonishing. I probably would drop the voice-over... A wonderful film on every level.

Wonderful, true, wise, and real..this is the best movie I've seen in ages!!!!!..A story I felt in my heart..

Danes was transcendent. Martin was simpering, self-conscious, and unappealing -- but that's exactly as his character was *supposed* to be (read the novella!). Maribelle's coworker nearly ruins the mood with a inexplicable gratuitous "predatory blonde" cameo (a seriously slapstick caricature) near the end, but overall I thought this movie succeeded as a Lost in Translation kind of meditation.… Expand

A very dull movie. The performances were fine, but the screenplay failed to flesh out any of the characters, resulting in 90-minutes of me wondering what anyone's motivation was for doing anything. The movie lacked any humor or emotion, and the result is a pretty looking film that failed to do anything but crawl toward its inevitable conclusion.

I really liked this movie. It is a intelligent, indie-quality love story minus all the sugar coating in most romantic comedies. Steve Martin wrote and stars in his best film in years as he seems to be acquiring a Woody Allenesque attitude. I was only surprized that he didn't have "The way we were" over the end credits!

Finally a non-stereotypical hollywood about a romantic love affair. Slow, very brave, very korean!

Apart from the beauty of the score and the cinematography, I appreciated the unique take on romace presented in this film. It isn't often in Hollywood that sex is criticized or put in a psychological or philosophical context; this movie refreshingly shows the limitations of sex in bringing happinenss. This movie isn't a romantic comedy and shouldn't be reviewed as such. Instead, it's a commentary on the complexity of life and love in our day.… Expand

Steve Martin's one of my favorite comedic actors, so I was interested in seeing this serious work from him, which seemed to resemble one of my favorite movies, Lost in Translation. Unfortunately...this movie really didn't cut it. There's no chemistry here whatsoever, and while it was deliberate and part of the story, it didn't necessarily make for a compelling movie. Overall, it's an interesting movie and it had some nice ideas and was actually pretty realistic, yet it just didn't really do anything for me. It was more of a chick flick. It should have been both more romantic and more funny, and it was neither. And ugh....that musical score was COMPLETELY awful. Talk about overdone. They should have went with a more subdued and atmospheric effort like Lost in Translation, instead, it feels like a full symphony orchestra's following these characters around......ugh.… Expand

This is a terrible movie. Steve Martin should not be allowed to act; if you can even call that striking of a vaguely chagrined pose acting. Maybe he thinks since "doing nothing" has worked for Bill Murray... but Murray has a genuiney bruised interior, whereas Martin's soft life seems to have left him without any interior; and the film's purpose seems to be a chuck under the chin to himself for having that lack of character. With Jason Swartman only manically aping a performance, and obviously no director at the helm, poor, talented Clare Danes is all on her own.… Expand

This movie is a 6.5, not quite a 6, but not really a 7 either. Shades of "lost in translation" all over the place, "lost in LA" might be a better title. Plenty of weak moments, the bus Jason rides on, seems to go all over the country without leaving California. Steve is believable enough, although his narration doesn't quite work. It's a slightly better than average movie, go see it, but don't expect too much.… Expand

A dreadful, dreary, utterly empty little film that'll have you leaving the theater feeling deflated and depressed. Claire Danes brings heart, soul and touching tenderness to an utterly implausible character. Steve Martin doesn't allow the poor girl to do anything but be oh-so-grateful that his alter-ego has come into her life to take dress her up, wine and dine her, and then undress her with practiced smoothness in his groovy L.A. bachelor pad. What the. . .? What's a cute, smart, romantic chick like her doing with the aging, dullsville Man from Glad? Sure, he's got the bucks to spoil her rotten, but she's clearly not the type to care after the high-rolling novelty wears off. She wants love and respect and some intelligent conversation, and he gives her dumb, big ticket nights on the town, zero in the way of chemistry, zilch in terms of thought-provoking (or even mildly interesting) discussion, and a clear message that he's running on empty in the intimacy department. But that's not supposed to faze our sweet, artsy girl from Vermont in the slightest????? Ya gotta be kidding. It just doesn't make sense. These glaring issues and bizarre inconsistencies can't help but take up all our attention as the scenes drag on, but nobody in the film seems to see them. And as if all that weren't enough to make this film a creepy stinker, there's a sappy, pseudo-philosophical voice-over and swelling violins every time the two lovebirds are seen in close-up that will make you squirm in your theater seat. Yuck.… Expand

I can't believe what I'me reading here. This movie was awful. It was so full of cliches and needlessly melodrama that everyone in the theater broke into "are you kidding me?" laughter four or five times. Honestly, who wants to see Steve Martin have an affair with Claire Danes? Who? The only thing worse than the unbelievable creepiness of the central relationship was the nauseating gravitas of the direction. This movie is neither romantic nor comedic. It is just plain bad.… Expand

Throughly enjoyed the movie. Characters were belivible and well acted. Martin's character was excellant study in failing to commit and missing out on life.

Poor adaptation, needed voice over naration to move story along. Steve talking directly to the camara would have been more interesting. I agree with salon.com "There's so little sexual chemistry..." However I think this is confined to Martin and Danes. Schwartzman and Danes are the only saving graces for the movie.

This film was not perfect but it is far better than most of the drivel that hass come to the screen lately. In fact, I could have almost sworn I was watching an "Essential". I love movies that so perfectly illustrate human imperfection... Shopgirl did just that in a true Douglas Sirk fashion.

Unlikeable the same way "Lost in Translation" is: a amateurly directed, visually unexciting, "minimalist" waste of time and money. The movie's pacing and message come off just as awkward as some of the dialogue is. Jason Schwartzman carries the movie, but with a role he's played his entire career. Claire Danes (who basically cries a lot) and Steve Martin (who isn't funny in this movie) do nothing special.… Expand

Unexpectedly affecting -- and nothing like the hideous trailer promotes: I'm no fan the whole May-December thing, as a rule. Thanks in part to Danes, Mirabelle comes across much more sympathetically and realistically than she does in the novella. It's the wonderful acting -- "DO, don't SAY" -- which carries this melancholy movie.

Shopgirl is a smart comedy at the level of "Lost In Translation". I found it funny, thoughtful, and sad and realistic about relationships today.

In "Shopgirl", this May/December romance has the added kink of metaphysical incest, but don't let your hyper-awareness(or is it just my hyper-awareness?) about the author dating his own literary creation drive you to distraction. Claire Danes is simply incandescent as Mirabella, an allegedly lonely girl, who is, due to time compression, lonely for all of ten minutes. And then voila, two suitors. Although there are way too many shots of Ray(Steve Martin) in deep thought(we get it, we get it; furrowed eyebrows signifies self-consciousness about class disparity), your heart will break and your heart will soar too, because Martin and Danes, bring it.… Expand

Claire Danes gives an excellent performance. Shopgirl is intelligently written and acted, and I found it to be refreshingly understated but never boring, See it with your female and male friends, and it's guaranteed that you will be talking about on the way home.

I liked it, though I did in fact fall completely asleep in the theater before the end.

An emotionally mature love story: quiet, elegant, really quite beautiful. I lived in LA for 16 years, and the story and acting here ring true. Clare Danes is wonderful.

Not very good, except for Claire Danes, who shines in the title role. Jason Schwartzman also has definite presence on screen. But the writing is poor, especially the older character portrayed by Steve Martin. I can only assume the fault is his in the novella that serves as the source. Martin's character is at once boringly benign, even uncertain, and yet lacks conscience (or any apparent coherent motivation, for that matter). A weak, weak cop-out of a character, and not because he's unlikable, but because he's not believable.… Expand

A very clear look into the workings of real relationships, both the good and the bad. The performances by Martin, Danes, and Shwartzman are terrific, especially since each of their roles are unique and stray from the typical drama or romantic comedy.

I was disappointed. Mirabelle is more like a fragile china doll who has not found her inner voice. Neither Steve Martin nor the younger actor playing Jeremy do anything to facilitate the journey that Mirabelle seems to somehow (off-screen?) have taken by the end. I did not read the book, but it sure seems to be a uniquely male view of a fantasy girl friend.

Could have been a great movie, but the casting was terrible. Either a younger replacement for Steve Martin or an older replacement for Dane would have made this film plausable. Steve you blew it. Your ego got in the way. However, you would have made a nice grandfather.

I did not come into this movie expecting a super arty, overly deep film. Thank god for that. Tedious is the nicest word I can use to describe this movie that takes itself way too seriously and spends absolutely zero time giving the viewer any insight into why any of these characters like each other, let alone why we should care about them. It squanders any capital it has in the talents of the main actors on awkward, unfunny scenes that are not charming or original or really anything. This movie does not need to exist and obviously wouldn't if so many people hadn't enjoyed the infinitely superior Lost in Translation and of course, The Three Amigos. The one point is for the occasionally funny character (over)played by Jason Schwartzman who is too talented to be wasting his time on ego pieces like this one. Skip the sequel too.… Expand

It's funny that someone else wrote "Unlikeable the same way 'Lost in Translation,'" because I thought it was great in all the ways that LiT was great. It captures the essence of being in one's twenties. Life is might be funny or ironic or entertaining, but it's often awkward and painful, and once in a great while just beautiful.

Great movie and perfect casting! I definitely recommend this for guys and girls.

Perfect, Steve Martin will be nominated for the Best Adapted Screenpley Oscar!!!!

I LOVED this movie. You can feel Steve Martin's love for Mirabelle and for Los Angeles. The score is a beautiful engine moving the story forward. Danes' performance is perfect. I'm completely charmed by the whole thing.

It's a sweet and, dare I say it, tender movie. Very beautiful.

Shopgirl should have be titled Flopgirl. It flops because its the exact opposite of a movie. Martin is the hero yet he doesn't win anything. Maribelle is a cows name. In fact she stands there albeit gorgeously just like a cow. She is grazing through life. The other male character is just a flop. Someone told Martin that good writing requires character development so he made Jason9;s character change from idiotic to stupid. The only reason people men will like this movie is becasue of Claires nude scene. The only reason it could be described as beautiful is the exquisite musical score. Martin should have made a sound track not a movie.… Expand

I had my doubts about Claire Danes, but she not only completely overcame all of them--she obliterated them. I walked into screenwriter-star Steve Martin's adaptation of his own witty, sensitive novella about a shy Saks Fifth Avenue clerk looking for love and, more importantly, for her place in the world questioning Danes' casting because I believed that she was too traditionally pretty to meet the role's demands; I thought a plainer or at least less conventionally attractive actress would've been a much more appropriate choice. But as it turns out, the character of Mirabelle fits Danes...well, like a glove. She not only captures the shopgirl's loneliness, ungainliness (more imagined than real) and slight but palpable sense of social displacement beautifully and without a single false move, but in doing so gives what is truly one of the 3 or 4 best performances of 2005. (This even extends to Danes' nude scene: when she presents herself to the man she thinks she's in love with, she does so with such unabashed vulnerability that it makes you ache...and not in the usual sense.) As for Martin,who plays Mirabelle's wealthy, cultured,emotionally detached (or so he thinks) and indecisive lover Ray, he once again shows us a brand new side of his talents. I've always really admired Martin's eagerness to try completely new challenges and to reinvent himself--he interspersed his silly, Carl Reiner-directed farces like The Jerk and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid with the dark, challenging Depression-era musical Pennies From Heaven, and thankfully he's giving us a momentary break from such forgettable, machine-tooled fare as Bringing Down the House and Cheaper by the Dozen with a rich, mulitlayered characterization. Danes and Martin make Shopgirl well worth seeing, as do some wonderfully well-observed touches from director Anand Tucker: I loved Ray's reaction to the futon that apartment-dweller Mirabelle uses as a living room couch, and the way that Ray DOESN'T watch Mirabelle try on the expensive, form-fitted dress he bought for her. However, Shopgirl also contains two potentially fatal elements that almost kill the deal. One is Jason Schwartzman's characterization of semi-slacker Jeremy, a guy Mirabelle briefly dates before discovering Ray; nothing wrong with Schwartzman (Rushmore) himself, who as an actor does what he's asked here, but the character is so unbelievably gauche and irritating that it snaps any sense of credulity that even someone as insecure as Mirabelle would ever show any interest in him, however faint, and even an eleventh-hour attempt at self-improvement doesn't help. (Remember this year's earlier romantic comedy/spoof The Baxter, which focused on the "other guy" in a triangle--the one who's not the male lead? Well, Jeremy doesn't even qualify as a baxter--a melvin would be more like it!) The other major liability is Barrington Pheloung's string-and-piano-heavy score, which is the most oppressive, nakedly manipulative musical assault on a movie audience's emotions since the normally capable Marc Shaiman's sledgehammer job in Patch Adams seven years ago. Pheloung strains mightily to sell us on the pathos of Mirabelle's situation, but since Danes is doing such a fine and admirable job of communicating it all by herself with no need of unsolicited help from the orchestra pit, his efforts are an insult both to the integrity of Danes' work and to our intelligence.… Expand

Another nauseatiingly pointless melodrama. Perhaps the worst part was the completely needless narrative dialogue. If they'd taken out Steve Martin's wispy voice as he waxed poetic on the "relationships" presented in this movie, it may have been worthy of a 2. The problem here goes beyond unpassionate acting, beyond the tired rhythm of the canned heart-break scenes and the laughable cinematography as the actors given emotionally barren looks to the camera... the problem is that the story and the presentation of "modern" relationships is garbage. I've seen more passion from a dog in heat, I've been more emotionally moved by a posted on chlamydia. If I wanted badly filmed over-pretentious pap, I'd go to the over-30 martini bar and get some divorcee drunk.… Expand

A mature, witty, and poignant look at relationships and people's need to love and be loved. This film really works for you if you have been one of these people or have known them. It might seem difficult to pass of as plausible the May December relationship and the mature, honest, but emotionally detached rich seeking the sexual relationship with the smart but naive 23 year old but getting sucked in before he knows it. This really worked for me and I was happy to see Martin bring it out. However, I wonder how autobiographical it is.… Expand

Slow, dull, pointless, plotless.