Thoughts on Personal Shopper by Assayas

This film was definitely an Autueristic film. It was written and directed by Oliver Assayas a French autuer who has directed several films without becoming too "hollywood" or "big budget." And it casts Kristen Stewart who the French love.

The film is rather short, checking in at an hour and 40 mintues or so. And a lot of the action takes place in the last half hour. Otherwise it is about the life of a shopper for the stars. It tells a very personal story of someone who doesn't get much press or appreciation. I found it rather boring. Kristen Stewart rides around on her moped doing errands for her employer who is some kind of celebrity. Stewart's character is a rather parasitic person. She doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities. I guess that's why the film has the subplot of Stewart's character trying to contact her brother from beyond death. The film switches from the celebrity slave plot to the making contact with her brother throughout the film. It is only in the final scene of the film that both plot lines are resolved.

The film is not without merit though. The satirical look at how celebrities function provides some interesting scenes. And when the film finally reaches it's end, I thought it resembled the best of a thriller. I even compared it to Edgar Allen Poe and some of his dark tails of humanity like Murders in the Rue Morgue. The build up to gruesome murder scene was a masterful exposition of detail. Every text message was keeping me more and more on the edge of my seat wondering who it was that was texting her? When would it be revealed? The murder scene hit me unexpectedly. But the revelation that it was the bitter ex-petite ami was a little bit too obvious.

Like Elle it was a white male with a good tailor. I find that all too often it is an over aggresive White male that takes the fall in French film. I don't know if there is any evidence that it's true that White males in France are more inclined toward murder then other groups. But in film it seems so.

This film is like Elle, but is more in your face. It shows the glamour of celebrity and the groveling character of Stewart who finds nothing better to do in life then shop for a mean celebrity. Are the fancy clothes and jewelry that she doesn't get to keep really worth it? I thought of her character as rather pathetic. Doing the bidding of an obnoxious celebrity and trying to contact her dead brother? Not the kind character I like in film. At least she's unique.