Shopgirl

Herald rating: * * *

Ray Porter, a dotcom millionaire of riper years, sees Mirabelle Buttersfield serving at a department store's glove counter. He buys gloves. He does not want the gloves: he wants her.

On her doorstep that night she finds the gloves, gift-wrapped with a note asking her to dinner.

There is another man in, or rather around, Mirabelle's life: Jeremy, the slob, the emotionally immature younger one, the wannabe artist who sees Mirabelle as his muse, and who will conveniently leave town with a band as Ray begins his quest.

Ray (Steve Martin, who wrote the original novel), is 35 years older than Mirabelle (Claire Danes), seeks a loose relationship with a young, smart, entertaining, unattached young woman. In short, someone who makes him look good.

Mirabelle understands and accepts the deal. It will help her achieve her artistic dreams, too. But she will have to choose between Ray and Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman), who may be a geek but he's her geek. "I guess I have to choose whether to be miserable now, or miserable later," Mirabelle says.

Martin admits that he was 10 years too old to play his role but the scene-stealer here is Danes, who many tipped for a Best Actress Oscar nomination.

The DVD includes commentary by British director Anand Tucker, a 20-minute Making Of, and two deleted scenes.

DVD, video rental out now