Personal Shopper * * * *

   There is a long section in this film which is set on the Paris to London train. The train makes the journey uneventfully, however, I did have fear for another kind of train wreck. More than once I thought  here is a film that beckons disaster, which of course, made me like it - especially as it comes through spectacularly.   I can only imagine the result in the hands of some other directors or actors.  

Bump!!

     Prior to that we see the lead character, Maureen, spend a couple of nights alone in a haunted chalet - and we do actually see ghosts. I wasn’t sure if it was asking us to believe in ghosts, or asking us to simply accept the fact that Maureen believes in ghosts.

     Maureen believes in ghosts because her brother did.  But now her brother is a ghost himself and she wants to contact him. It actually becomes an obsession of hers.  She spends her nights reading up on spiritualists and communicating with her absent boyfriend on Skype.

     But in the meantime she’s got to earn a living, which she does as a Personal Shopper. She lives in Paris and is engaged by an exceedingly wealthy, self indulgent woman, who hasn’t the time for shopping but always wants to look glamorous.  It’s Maureen's job to go to the most upmarket boutiques and designer houses and select items for her boss. Interestingly, Maureen herself is a jeans and jumper kind of girl.  

     Then the anonymous text messages start - just as she is about to go to London for a day's shopping.  So if you can imagine a very long scene where a girl is on a train texting, and as  a viewer we have to read the texts and her responses, you can also imagine why this might be regarded as risky.  But it’s actually beautiful, frightening, exciting, intriguing and you don’t want it to stop.  And it doesn’t ….

    The text messages continue when she returns to Paris (is it a ghost communicating with her via new technology?) The messenger makes demands upon her and she finds the demands so challenging she feels compelled to comply and do things which she would otherwise never do.     

    Finally a meeting with the messenger is arranged at an hotel…..

    This is a fascinating, intriguing film that is a frightening pleasure to watch.  It’s directed by Olivier Assayas and stars Kristen Stewart.  They last worked together on the excellent The Clouds of Sils Maria. Like that film, this too is a film I would highly recommend.