Parents' Guide to

Shopgirl

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Stylish romantic comedy best for older teens.

Movie R 2005 104 minutes
Shopgirl Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 17+

Based on 3 parent reviews

age 18+

My personal review of Shopgirl-

I thought it would be a good movie, but looks can be very deceiving. It just was too dramatic with all of the ways they portrayed the girl. Claire Danes did a fabulous job with what she had to work with in this piece. She is really a very good actress, but Steve Martins' part was misleading in todays world. Sure, that's what every woman would want, or is it? Since Steve martin wrote the screenplay, it's only fitting that he should get the blame for this horribly played out movie. Not only is it chauvinistic to the nth degree, but his haughtiness toward her supposedly mundane life is appalling. It teaches girls what our mothers taught us; to find a rich man and all will be well, and as all older women know, this is not normally the case. It really isn't a well thought out movie for today's teenager. It is condescending, on all fronts, to todays woman. It is repetitive in nature until the very end, when it tries to redeem all of these terrible affronts to this girls psyche. Not a good value movie at all, and frankly not a good movie for anyone, except possibly a woman in 1950.
age 18+

not for kids

HEAPS of sex scenes in this film. One scene shows the woman completely naked on the bed from behind. I would not even let anyone under even the age of 16 watch this

This title has:

Too much sex

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (3):

Meticulously crafted, Anand Tucker's SHOPGIRL is not so overtly emotionally adventurous as his previous movie Hilary and Jackie (1998). But it is similarly interested in the built-in deceptions of romance and the cruelties of self-protective decisions. Though Mirabelle briefly envies the seeming wisdom and cynicism of fellow shopgirl and more experienced dater Lisa (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras), she soon realizes that her own sensitivities -- even her artistic sensibilities -- are more valuable.

At least, this is the film's judgment. And this is the most troubling aspect of the film. For all its seeming delicacy, its view of Mirabelle as perfect, precious object is decidedly limited. Though Danes is a lovely, subtle performer, and Peter J. Suschitzky's camera showcases her unusual beauty, the film never grants Mirabelle her own life: she remains a child-woman in search of a male redeemer. Her men are manifestly imperfect and yet, as happens too often, their versions of her define her desires.

Movie Details

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