Let me make this easy for you. Shopgirl reminds me a lot of Lost in Translation.

With one sentence, I am sure I have turned off more than a handful of people that are now searching other movie titles of interest.

Funny really. Lost in Translation was one of those films that the critics adored. It was a quiet and quaint film that delivered an absorbing story without explosions or over drawn out comedic moments.

Yet, it was one of those films that I could not find a casual film watcher enjoyed. Or even understood for that matter.

I think it was due to its pacing and under toned performances by the two leads. Nothing was forced either in conversation and in turn, back down the audience's throat. Instead, it just went about telling the story of two people who happened to meet and make a connection.

Shopgirl is not dissimilar. The story (based on a novella by Steve Martin) concerns well, a shopgirl at Saks Fifth Avenue named Mirabelle (played wonderfully by Claire Danes). Fresh from Vermont and trying to make it as an artist in the hustle and bustle that is Los Angeles, Mirabelle in the span of just a few days goes from someone of plain existence that the world seems to have ignored to being the apple in the eyes of two suitors that couldn't be more different from each other.

In one corner and out of the gate first is Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman of Betwitched fame). Jeremy is the dirty weird guy that you meet in a laundromat. He seems nervous when he talks to women and his idea of a date is anything under the eight dollars he has in his wallet.

In the other corner is Ray Porter (Steve Martin). Ray shows up at Saks one day and makes a purchase from Mirabelle that ends up on her doorstep with an invitation of dinner soon after. Porter is loaded and in his courtship of Mirabelle he is able to lavish her with gifts beyond her accepted imagination.

But under the surface, the two suitors are even further apart than their bank balances would suggest. Porter is a man of high society who is always looking for the 'next thing' without any regard to those to which he is involved with at the time. Meanwhile, Jeremy is as sincere as it comes. He wears his heart on his sleeve and tries hard to learn about relationships in hopes of winning over the very impressionable Mirabelle.

The story then sculpts Mirabelle's highs and lows with both men leading to her ultimate decision that is both logical and acceptable even if projected right from the opening chapters.

Shopgirl is one of those guilty pleasures. It's good storytelling without MTV songs ringing in our ears or tragic moments that define ones future decisions. It is based in reality. Or as close to reality that Los Angeles allows.

And much like Lost in Translation, Shopgirl's backbone is the strength of the lead actors. In particular Claire Danes, who will give Charlize Theron a run for the gold when the awards season beings in just a few weeks. As Mirabelle, she is able to project vulnerability and confidence while exuding emotions of emotional pain and heartfelt love that grounds her performance allowing us to understand her decisions even if they don't all turn out to her benefit.

The result is one of the quietest and best films of the year that much like Lost, no one will see until it starts running on satellite early next year.

www.gregsrants.com

Mirabelle (Claire Danes) is a recent college grad who's moved from Vermont to the big city. As a result, she's pretty lonely and vulnerable. And, as she's looking for a relationship, she happens upon two very different men. Jeremy (Jason Schartzman) is a bit of a loser...without much of a job and any plans for the future. Ray (Steve Martin) is in many ways the opposite of Jeremy. He's rich, has a life but also is incredibly guarded and afraid to commit. Not surprisingly, she's drawn more to Ray....but early on, Ray makes it clear he doesn't want to love her or for the relationship to become serious...just fun and sexy.

Despite some very good acting and an interesting story idea, the movie had two big problems for me. First, the film seemed to say that Mirabelle should choose between the pair...but I really disliked them both and didn't want to see her with either of them. Second, and this is a more serious problem, is that the film is almost completely bereft of life and energy...and it made enjoying the film difficult.

Mirabelle Buttersfield (Claire Danes) is a lonely girl from small town Vermont working at the glove counter in L.A. Saks and heavily in student debt. She meets flighty artistic Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) at the laundromat. Ray Porter (Steve Martin) is a rich older gentleman. He buys a pair of gloves from Mirabelle and gifts them to her. They begin a relationship but they don't necessarily see their fling the same way. Lisa Cramer (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras) is the gold-digging perfume girl.

It's a pretty little movie. Danes is such a lovely girl. The visual look is neatly beautiful. If there is any deficiency, the guys are not worthy of Danes. Schwartzman is playing his man-child character. Martin is too old and too distant. As a romance, it's hard to root for either of them to end up with Danes. In fact, I would rather that she walks off into the sunset on her own.