"A faithful and engaging adaptation, adding Martin's skills as a screenwriter and actor to his fiction talents." Michael Booth DENVER POST "A tender and perceptive film." Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "In the performance of her career, Claire Danes is Shopgirl’s center." Greg Maki STAR-DEMOCRAT "Though Martin produced, wrote and plays the male lead, Claire Danes stars and really makes the film happen." David Elliott SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE "Shopgirl is often funny and sometimes sad, and like its characters, it is mostly enchanting." Pam Grady REEL.COM

"It's delicate stuff, and it's been brought to the screen with grace, humor and a mood that's wonderfully (here comes another of those film review words) bittersweet." Steven Rea PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER "Watching [Dane], you think other actresses look half-alive at best. You even forget for a while that other actresses exist." Stuart Klawans NATION "This is truly one of the best films of the year, do yourself a favour and see it today" Clint Morris MOVIEHOLE "Shopgirl, written by Steve Martin, based on his slender novel of the same name, is an elegant and exquisitely tailored romantic comedy." A O Scott NEW YORK TIMES "A smart and mature romantic comedy that's funny at times and surprisingly touching...Claire Danes gives a luminous, deeply-felt performance." Chuck O'Leary, FANTASTICA DAILY

The Inside Story Believe it or not, "Shopgirl" is the work of author Steve Martin. That's right, the guy who's played zany characters such as Dr Michael Hfuhruhurr in "The Man with Two Brains"[1983], Sgt Bilko in the film of the same name [1996], Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels [1988] and Bobby Bowfinger in "Bowfinger" [1999], has adapted his 130 page novella "Shopgirl" into a screenplay. At the heart of Martin's story is the character Mirabelle, a well presented, good looking, but naive young woman who has left behind life with her parents and moved from Vermont to Los Angeles. It's a lonely existence for Mirabelle who works, on her own, in the Glove department in Saks Fifth Avenue Store. With nothing to come home to but her lonely flat, her cat and her art, Mirabelle needs to connect. But how do you do that when you're isolated and living in a big city. It's a sweet, romantic comedy and most of the time it works very well and Martin's novella received huge critical acclaim. Directed by British Independent Film Award winner Anand Tucker, the film adaptation is a reasonably rewarding experience. The three leads all perform extremely well and the characters they portray are intriguing to watch, especially the transformation of Jeremy, played by Jason Schwartzman who by the way, does have a 'band' connection. He was lead drummer for the successful band, "Phantom Planet", which he left recently to pursue his acting career, which started opposite Bill Murray in Wes Anderson's 1998 film, "Rushmore". So where did the inspiration for "Shopgirl" come from? "The story of "Shopgirl" came from a lifetime of experiences, inspired by the successes and failures of one’s own life," says Martin, "as well as from listening to other people talk about their relationships. I think one of the main ideas in "Shopgirl" is that when you play with other people’s hearts, and there’s no way out of this, people get hurt. Even with honesty, there’s no way you can influence the outcome or the effects that someone is feeling inside a relationship. It’s part of life’s journey that you go through. But the good news, you know, is that some people will find each other." And is it true that the multi-talented Martin never envisaged the novella making it on to the big screen? "I originally thought there was no way this novella could ever be a movie because it was so interior," admits Martin. "But then, a year after it was published, scenes just started popping into my head. And, being a screenplay writer myself, I naturally started thinking about the actual events of the story and the characters’ lives, and then one day I sat down and wrote the screenplay." Martin recalls writing the screenplay was a challenge and one which took several months to complete. He also "knew the film would require an observant and creative director at the helm." His screenplay certainly grabbed British director Anand Tucker. "I remember falling head over heels in love, instantaneously," Tucker says. "This was the best script that had ever landed on my doorstep. It was taut, brave, honest and very much like real life. I saw it as an emotional thriller, as the interior journey of a person looking for love, which is in a sense all of our journeys. It’s a universal situation, but in Steve’s screenplay it was absolutely riveting." It made for an ideal collaboration. "Anand’s vision for the film and my vision for the film were always aligned," Martin revealled. "Most of all, we both love movies where something important happens in every scene. Not in an action way, but in the sense that there is always something emotionally important taking place." Finding the right actress to play the lead role of Mirabelle would not be an easy task. Eventually, their search led them to the 24-year-old actress, Claire Danes, who quickly won over Martin. "Claire’s talent is very deep and she’s quite emotionally intelligent for her age," notes Martin. "She was able to take on very, very complicated scenes in just the right way, which is impressive." It turns out, Danes has read Martin's novella when it was first published. "It’s a very emotional role. It’s quiet and tender and earnest and subtle. I found it very compelling," Danes said. "Mirabelle’s not somebody who’s out saving the whole world—she’s simply trying to live a good life and for a movie to take her experiences seriously I thought was quite moving. There’s nothing overtly heroic about her struggles, but upon closer viewing we discover that she ultimately makes choices that require great insight, bravery, compassion and love." Audiences will find a lot of joy in watching how Mirabelle evolves as a person in "Shopgirl". Danes says it was this aspect of her character which made playing Mirabelle a big challenge. "Mirabelle is a woman who isn’t entirely formed at the beginning of the story," Danes explained. "Part of what’s so fascinating about her is that you get to see her make the transition to maturity in the course of the film. She goes through this experience with Ray Porter and she comes out a grown-up in the end. She may be broken-hearted, but I believe that through the events in "Shopgirl", Mirabelle truly comes into her own." A question many cinemagoers will want answered is why did Martin take a screen role in the film. "I did spend all this time writing the character so, it occurred to me, why not just be in it, too? I even thought of asking Tom Hanks at one point, but I think this turned out well and I’m happy with the casting," he says with a laugh. "I’m often playing fathers, but Ray Porter is an adult, a man on the move with a romantic life and a sexual life. It’s interesting, actually, to open a car door for a woman rather than to pile the kids in a van, you know." And how does he see his character Ray Porter? "Ray is a guy who’s really struggling with his romantic life," observes Martin. "He is caught in this communication snafu between men and women where two people in a relationship each hear what they want to hear and don’t hear what they don’t want to hear, and people get hurt. But I think that at the very least Ray comes out of this with some new intelligence about it all. He is someone who is trying to do the right thing, but that doesn’t necessarily justify his behavior." The 'other' man who comes into Mirabelle's life is Jeremy. He's such a likeable character thanks to a fine performance by Jason Schwartzman. It's a performance that brought praise from director Anand Tucker. "He’s a very gifted actor and a talented comedian who has a real ability for improvisation,"Tucker notes. "No matter how absurd the things that Jeremy says and does are, the way Jason plays him you can’t help but love the guy." Martin agrees. "We got very lucky with Jason Schwartzman because he brings such humor and truth to the role." And Schwartzman says he "connected with Jeremy at a primal level. Playing Jeremy was an incredible experience. Jeremy is like this part of everyone who doesn’t know when to stop. He’s always saying inappropriate things, kind of like a four-year-old. He often just says whatever comes into his mind. It’s like he doesn’t have an off switch. He doesn’t mean to be inconsiderate at all, he just is, and he’s not very aware of his effect on people. But then Jeremy starts to grow up a bit on the road. He makes an effort to be more present. It’s probably true that he hasn’t changed as much as he looks like he has, I mean, he’s still the dude that fixes amps, but he’s a little more aware and conscious. He’s definitely grown a little sweeter." And if all that makes interesting reading, I'm sure you'll find the film is too! Cast & Crew Bytes "SHOPGIRL" stars .......
EMMY ® Award winner; New York Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review Best Actor Award winner Steve Martin ["Father Of The Bride", "Grand Canyon", "Sgt Bilko", "Bowfinger" and "Cheaper By The Dozen"]; Claire Danes ["Romeo + Juliet", "The Rainmaker", "The Rage In Placid Lake", "Terminator 3" and "Stage Beauty"]; Bridgette Wilson-Sampras ["I Know What You Did Last Summer", "Love Stinks", "The Wedding Planner" and "Extreme Ops"]; Sam Bottoms ["The Last Picture Show", "Apocalypse Now", "Bronco Billy" and "Seabiscuit"]; Frances Conroy ["Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", "Scent of a Woman", "Sleepless in Seattle", "Maid in Manhattan" and "The Aviator"]; Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate Rebecca Pidgeon ["The Spanish Prisoner", "The Winslow Boy", "State and Main" and "Heist"]; Samantha Shelton ["Sorority Boys", "White Oleander", "Moving Alan" and "Learning Curves"] and 1999 Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Actor Award winner Jason Schwartzman ["Rushmore", "Spun", "Slackers", "S1m0ne", "I Heart Huckabees" and "Bewitched"] as Jeremy.
"SHOPGIRL" was .......
directed by BAFTA Best Arts Documentary winner Anand Tucker ["Saint-Ex" and "Hilary & Jackie"]; screenplay by Steve Martin ["The Absent-Minded Waiter", "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", "L.A. Story" and "Bowfinger"]; original story authored by Steve Martin ["Pure Drivel ", "Shopgirl" and "The Pleasure of My Company: A Novel by Steve Martin"]; costume design by Nancy Steiner ["The Virgin Suicides", "The Good Girl", "Lost In Translation" and "Elizabethtown"]; production design by William Arnold ["Magnolia", "Punch Drunk Love", "Confidence" and "In Good Company"]; edited by BAFTA Award winner David Gamble ["Different for Girls", "Shakespeare in Love", "Lucky Break" and "Veronica Guerin"]; cinematography by Peter Suschitzky ["Where the Heart Is", "Mars Attacks!", "The Man In The Iron Mask" and "Spider"]; original music by Barrington Pheloung ["Truly Madly Deeply", "Shopping", "Nostradamus" and "Ghosthunter"]. What It's All About Mirabelle, an artist at heart has moved to Los Angeles, California and taken a position in the glove department at Saks Fifth Avenue Store. It's an uneventful often boring job, after all, there's not a huge demand for gloves these days. Life hasn't changed much for Mirabelle since moving from Vermont to California. Each evening she returns to her small, upstairs flat she shares with her cat, takes photo's of herself and pusues her art. Then one night, while washing her clothes at the local laundromat, Mirabelle meets Jeremy. He's the opposite to her. She's organized, he's unorganized. She has ambition and hope, he has no dreams. She is neat, he's a slob. But loneliness can do strange things when you're job allows little contact with the public and you're new to a big city and eventually the get together. Jeremy is completely taken aback by Mirabelle but she has reservations about where and how far they can go. Somehow she manages to instil in him the desire to do better for himself in his job which is the production of speaker systems for bands. Then Mirabelle meets a wealthy, fifty something, successful businessman named Ray Porter. He provides the attention she really seeks. When Mirabelle tells Jeremy she is dating someone else, he decides to take the road and tour with a band as their sound manager. Life on the road presents many new opportunities for Jeremy who soon becomes a highly motivated guy. As for Mirabelle, well she's totally besotted with Ray. Seduced by his charm, wealth and attention, she's misunderstood Ray's intentions and his level of commitment. Three people. Three hopes. One outcome. The Verdict "A bittersweet story of three people looking for someone to connect with, "Shopgirl" is a romantic comedy that should go down well with audiences thanks to its lead actors and some beautiful background shots of Los Angeles. We know Martin is a talented actor and that Claire Danes is a rising star, but it is Jason Schwartzman as Jeremy who will capture your attention. "Shopgirl" is certainly worth having a look at." The Cast

Steve Martin Claire Danes Jason Schwartzman Bridgette Wilson-Sampras Sam Bottoms Frances Conroy Rebecca Pidgeon Samantha Shelton Gina Doctor Clyde Kusatsu Romy Rosemont Joshua Snyder Rachel Nichols Shane Edelman Emily Kuroda Jayzel Samonte Mark Kozelek Johnny Fedevich Zak Sally Ray Buktenica Alexondra Lee Randy Oglesby Richard Fancy Anne Marie Howard Kevin Kilner Kris Deskins Laura Grady

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Ray Mirabelle Jeremy Lisa Cramer Dan Buttersfield Catherine Butterfield Christie Richards Loki Del Rey Mr Agasa Loan Officer Trey Bryan Trey's Girlfriend Chet Japanese Woman Houseboy Luther Hot Tears Band Member Hot Tears Band Member Shrink Karen Tom Eli Mandy Charley Armani Seamstress Cosmetic Girl

The Crew Directed by Anand Tucker From the novella Shopgirl by Steve Martin Screenplay by Steve Martin Produced by Ashok Amritraj/Jon J Jashni/Steve Martin Original Music by Barrington Pheloung Cinematography by Peter Suschitzky Film Editing by David Gamble Casting by Deborah Aquila & Tricia Wood Production Design by William Arnold Art Direction by Sue Chan Set Decoration by David Smith Costume Design by Nancy Steiner Run Time 100 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2005 - 20th Century Fox - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected ©1999-2009 Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved