Review: Personal Shopper

Olivier Assayas teams up again with Kristen Stewart after Clouds of Sils Maria and yet again pulls the best out of the young actress. Acting against an iPhone for large parts of the film, she captivates even when this ghost story falters. Personal Shopper is a ghost-story at times, but works best when it focuses on the ways in which we need to connect in modern times. 

Stewart play Maureen, a personal shopper for a high-profile celebrity who doesn't have the time to shop. The film follows her as she travels on a motor-scooter around Paris from boutique to boutique. Maureen is also haunted by the death of her twin brother Lewis. They both suffer from a heart condition but Lewis died three months ago leaving Maureen trying to contact his spirit. They made a pact that if one of them died first, they would reach out from the afterlife. Maureen is waiting for a sign when the film begins.

She finds her sign in mysterious text messages that start arriving on her phone. There are also a slew of glass vases that fall and break on their own. The metaphor Assayas is working with here isn't subtle, grief and loss haunt us. His decision to play with the horror genre however comes up short. A ghost is visualized in one scene and induced eye-rolls from this horror fan.  These elements thankfully only take center stage so often. Otherwise the film focuses on Maureen's dissatisfaction. Her job never lets her be stable, her boyfriend is also distracted on their Skype calls, and her brother isn't giving her the signs she wants from the afterlife. When the text messages start, she can't help but be beholden to them, constantly checking her phone for an update. It is a sign of her need for something else, some sort of connection.

Personal Shopper is full of interesting themes and visual flair at times. There is no doubt at Assayas' talents. It is surprising then how awful the supernatural elements of the film are handled. Theses moments, such as sliding glass doors opening on their own, feel dispassionate and could easily elicit laughter. 

Technology plays a big role in the film. Assayas masterfully directs a scene that largely takes place on a cell phone screen as text messages are exchanged. He also utilized Skype, internet browsing, and other flashes of technology. All this suggests that our modern technology doesn't make it any easier to find satisfying connections with people. Maureen feels disconnected even when she is connected. This is best represented by the increasingly distant interactions she has with her boyfriend. 

Personal Shopper features a stirring portrayal of someone haunted by the past by Kristen Stewart. The film is hers and the true reason to seek the films out. Assayas doesn't know how to pull off the genre elements with any conviction. The supernatural elements are a clever idea but executed with little understanding. Still, Stewart is fascinating and never lets the character become easily defined.

3/5