Personal Shopper reviewed by Mark Kermode

Mark Kermode reviews Personal Shopper. A personal shopper and part-time Medium living in Paris has to deal with the sudden death of her twin brother.
Please tell us what you think of the film -- or Mark’s review of the film - below. We love to include your views on the show every Friday.
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Fridays at 2pm on BBC 5 live.

[@charliepanayiotou4305]

If Kristen Stewart hadn't been Bella Swan, she wouldn't have got a ridiculous amount of hate coming her way. I wouldn't say she's amazing but she's a decent actress. If Kelly Reichardt wants you in her film, that's good enough for me. I could maybe see her directing one day, she doesn't seem to like the spotlight much.

[@rg3388]

If Kelly Reichardt wants you in her film AND you take the job, that's more than good enough.

[@leechlover4life]

Charlie Panayiotou she has directed twice already and is set to direct again this year

[@pakora81]

One of the best films I've seen in ages, genuinely unsettling in parts, and a fantastic performance from Kristen Stewart

[@andyg9835]

'Personal Shopper' seems to be a film about ambiguity and quite possibly ties itself into knots somewhat over it. The film is a genuinely tense thriller in places, but slack in others as it flits between genres. Kristen Stewart puts in a dialled down, rather sombre performance (keeping within her range) that sets the film's tone and allows it to be intriguing enough to be recommended. 3/5

[@halkitchen1838]

Definitely one of the best films (and performances) of the year IMO

[@TheNewJackChambers]

Just got back from seeing this and I think it's brilliant. Assayas has managed to blend three different types of film into one, with great help from Kristen.

[@annmariemarin5513]

I loved this film. Not sure why. Also liked Clouds of SM very much. She's good.

[@ep1phany62]

Glad Mark liked it. I thought it was incredibly well acted by Stewart and very beautifully crafted by Assayas.

[@ramonecricket5183]

I disagree with Mark about the film forfeiting ambiguity as it goes on. The last line of the movie, "Am I alone?" (followed by the thump) suggests the possibility that her "gifts" are entirely false, and that she has never been in contact with the spirit world.

[@TheCrazedLorry98]

Mark Kermode basically nails this review. Completely agree with everything said. The movie is definitely at its greatest strength at the beginning and the first few scenes with the otherworldly presences were really engaging. However, it does feel as though it ends up getting wrapped up in addressing all these different interpretations of what it could be thats happening and switching between genres in a way which means it meanders at times. The third act was a little weak as well and the ending wasn't all too fulfilling. Still enjoyable though. Kristen Stewart wasn't bad either. "A revealing performance" welp thats for sure lol.

[@taliaprice1909]

better than her performance in The Runaways?? ?

[@taliaprice1909]

***** the runaway was her best performance.

[@timothyw98]

Soon to be overtook by her portrayal of Diana Spencer.

[@voyance4elle]

i didn't mind the melting of different genres.

[@PatchGuilf]

I still don't know why they bother with film clips on a radio show.

[@irishmangiant]

Nothing happens in the movie for about 36 mins.. when it does it's a bit of a damp squib .

[@Theundegroot]

Dear Mark, you mentioned another film here, but being Dutch i was not able figure the name of that movie out,

[@Dani-th6cl]

The Ninth Configuration by William Peter Blatty

[@Theundegroot]

thanks Dani!

[@automatics1im]

What happened to your microphones? You had very nice condenser mics that were very forgiving of Mark"s movement. Now it looks like you've got stuck with sm58s?

[@timbeaton5045]

Nope. Definitely not an SM58. Some kind of small diaphragm condenser mic by the look of it. Mounted in a lyre type mic anti shock holder, could be a Rode? Anyway, whatever it is, it seems to do the trick. There are plenty of very high quality mics of this kind, so i'm guessing this will be one of them.

[@knifeofdunwall]

Ooh new office?

[@Ben_Mdws]

Saw this earlier - it's pretty dreary.

[@thecrikster]

This film left me numb. It wasn't until the last scenes that I realised why. Each actor sleepwalks their way through their performances. Not helped by the midway train/text stalker scenes which reminded of one too many late night drunken chatroom conversations. Utterly devoid of emotion, which is probably why it provoked an almost zero emotional response from me. Shame, because Kristen Stewart has proven she can do better (adventueland, runaways, etc..). Without being crude all the men in my group thought it was OK, all the women hated it. Sadly, it doesn't take much effort to identify the one thing in this film for which it will be remembered

[@mitchnorth8907]

All true but I've long since suspected that's exactly what Olivier Assayas wants to do. He basically makes films about socially anemic characters - honestly, a spot on reflection of the way many young people. It's why I think he gleefully incorporates shots of technology in a way that most filmmakers avoid like the plague. He makes it exactly what it is (banal, not fashionable).

[@himynameisben95]

Stewart is mumbling like a person on an ecstasy comedown after a party in that clip

[@gee_emm]

career best performance? really tho? with this writing to work with? i dunno about that bro...

[@IDKOKIDK]

KStew is a good actor now?> When did that happen?

[@IDKOKIDK]

What movie would I watch to appeciate Kstew's good acting abilities? I saw that movie she did with chloe grace moretz, but didnt' think she was very good

[@themac3116]

Watch Still Alice and Certain Women, she is very good in both.

[@MattSingh1]

It didn't happen, she isn't. And these people are wrong.

[@Onmysheet]

When she performed in Clouds Of Sils Maria.

[@MattSingh1]

That's an appeal to authority argument, you utter imbecile.

[@lukehearn]

This film is absolutely terrible

[@WholeShebangComedy]

This was one of the worst films of the year I don't get why this director gets so much praise for his films his movies have no pace no momentum. The characters are always writers, photographers, directors and are just not relatable. Personal shopper took so long to even reveal what the plot was bus I've heard people say how the film reveals itself slowly and subtly, no the movie just is really dull and at times unintentionally hilarious. The scene where Kirsten Stewart texts a ghost was meant to be creepy and deep but I just found it funny and pretentious

[@benrichardson7559]

This was the worst film i have seen in a long time. It starts with a ghost story then turns in to a mystery film and doesn't satisfyingly conclude any of its plots. And Kirsten Stewart is just playing Kirsten Stewart no acting involved, doesn't waste your money on it

[@steffnar.509]

I agree. The worst ( besides her forced mannerism and the rushed lines of dialogues trick ) was the 20-minute sequence where Stewart engages in boring texting. The idea was really original, too bad they ruined a potential original movie. The movie is so badly structured that, near the finish, every scene seems like the end.

[@mitchnorth8907]

>and doesn't satisfyingly conclude any of its plots I thought the film was pretty average overall but the fact it didn't conclude its plot points was pretty much the point of it. Aside from twisting many of the usual conventions of a ghost story in order to make us believe that everything is more sinister than it actually is (i.e. the texts), it's mostly just a film about the process of grief and the inability for the main character (forget her name) to get over the death of her brother. I had to tell my Dad about this too but the last lines = "Is that you Lewis, or is it just me?" Highly suggesting that the main character has been imagining everything going on because she doesn't want to believe her twin brother whom she had a 'special connection' to, not to mention also sharing a debilitating heart condition, merely died and that was that. As far as I could tell, that was pretty much the main point of the film. It's a bit like if you respond to this comment, I probably won't respond and hence our entire conversation will be left open just like the movie.

[@tazdeans]

Mitch North I actually thought it was brilliantly played by Kristen Stewart - who I really didn't rate at all as an actress before. She was the unhinged centre of it all, and I enjoyed the ending so much I watched it three times in a row. Is that you Mitch, or is it just me? Knock once or twice? Probably just me.

[@pmcgxenophon]

One of the worst films I’ve ever seen, truly terrible.

[@MattSingh1]

Yawn...looks like another anaemic performance from a mumbler.

[@ChildOfTheWilderness]

She doesn't act in the conventional way, she has a unique style of looking disinterested and having no emotional range.

[@mitchnorth8907]

Exactly! Pretty perfect as a representative of today's twenty-somethings.

[@Unworshipediety]

Ever seen anyone actually grieve before? I mean really grieve. When you lose someone you love, it sorta displaces you from everyone else around you. From what I can tell, she captures that despondency.

[@angelforyou]

+Unworshipediety Exactly. It's quite peculiar how most audience members raved with critics about Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea, but when Kristen Stewart delivers a quite similar, critically acclaimed but personally superior performance in Personal Shopper, a lot of audience members still use the age-old "omg, TwilightxD" excuse.

[@alextromagnetic]

Yeah no, it's likely the be the best film of the year. Here's hoping you enjoy Power Rangers though.

[@Sparkwithalightbomb]

It was boring 👎🏼