PERSONAL SHOPPER

Writer & Director / Olivier Assayas (CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA, SUMMER HOURS)
Stars / Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger and Nora von Waldstätten

To most critics, the emergence of Kristen Stewart (THE TWILIGHT SAGA) as a star in far less mainstream movies has been somewhat of a revelation. Take Olivier Assayas’s previous film CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA as a prime example which co-starred Stewart, who won a number of worldwide film festival awards. Now fulfilling the lead role in PERSONAL SHOPPER, it certainly appears as though K-Stew’s emotionally reserved style has responded to a calling in both of Assayas’s films, which are quite restrained in their storytelling approach.

This Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or nominee which won Olivier Assayas the Best Director award follows Maureen Cartwright (Stewart), an American who is temporarily yet indefinitely living in Paris. A psychological drama/thriller that is part ghost story, PERSONAL SHOPPER is set in the fashion industry as Maureen relies on the income of a job she doesn’t fancy in order to pursue a personal matter that won’t disappear.

Until now, Kristen Stewart has been completely unconvincing and totally out of place in every film of hers I’ve seen since her TWILIGHT years. Of complete opposite opinion to most others, Stewart actually suited the character of Bella Swan and has truly struggled to break away from the habitual acting techniques (the shake of the head, that blinking, the stuttering) picked up playing that character. This companion piece to CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA does result in Stewart being as far removed from that style as she’s been, in a brave role that results in her best and most convincing work to date.

The film itself, which stars four of the same actors from its companion piece, drew mixed audience reactions from passionate critics after its screening at Cannes. It is easy to understand why. PERSONAL SHOPPER indeed does have its spellbinding moments and sporadically registers deep intrigue. However, a plot which consists of separate stories that each have their turn to become the focal point as they gradually reveal the layers underneath, lack significance and are too delayed in their development. A section in the middle of the picture that features the exchanging of mildly threatening text messages from an unknown source is the epitome of just that. Then, when a couple of plot holes surface, PERSONAL SHOPPER loses its ability to sustain genuine regard. As was the case in CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA, Olivier Assayas lets a promising premise slowly evaporate. The end result is another underwhelming movie.

2 ½ stars

Viewer Discretion/ MA15+ (Strong scene of blood detail. Also contains language, sexuality and nudity.)