Shopgirl

Sorry Tom, I watched Shopgirl without you. It wasn’t great. And very much different from the book.

It started off great, just the sort of movie I’d make, long shots of make-up and frivolous expensive things as Saks. And Claire Danes is dressed adorably, definitely my style icon for the week. And she has these adorable glasses she wears for driving only (although mine are better)

The story though, was way simplified. The love triangle is hardly a triangle at all. There’s not much suspense, or turmoil or much of anything. Pretty much the main thing I remember from listening to shop girl on that trip to Berkeley, forever ago, was the really uncomfortable first sex scene between Steve Martin and the girl. She had all the objections and reactions that a pretty girl would have to some strange old man. It’s never really addressed in the movie that she’s creeped out by his oldness. And the boy, kind of just disappears in the movie. I almost believed Steve Martin and Claire Danes were going to end up together until the boy magically appears.
And the movie wasn’t funny, I don’t think it was meant to be. I’m pretty sure the book was.