pmsumner

I've ignored the first bit which I disagree with, but this bit sums up what I feel about the film in a very accurate way. Note the comments on the music especially.

Located here

Director Anand Tucker (his first film since 1998's achingly beautiful "Hilary and Jackie") has chosen a highly theatrical approach to filming "Shopgirl." With exaggerated lighting and an overbearing score by Barrington Pheloung (which suggests that Mirabelle is near suicidal every time it appears), the film works hard to create a sense of profundity from Martin's story. At times, this can be exhausting to watch, and strangely damages the specific pace that Tucker builds in his first act. Martin's script takes the characters to unexpected places (Jeremy ends up on an enlightening tour with a rock band), and Tucker is intermittently unable to connect the story together in satisfying ways, especially during a mid-movie droop which finds Mirabelle falling back into the depression she was secretly fighting. Either Martin had difficulty managing his tale, or Tucker couldn't juggle fast enough, but the story slackens as is goes along, taking with it a clarity that was so invigorating to the opening scenes.

[.....]

It's an interesting movie, if a bit messy, but it has an interest to explore the complicated residue of poisonous relationships, and features a good quality cast and crew to richly realize the emotions.