PERSONAL SHOPPER REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since appearing in the infamous 'Twilight Saga' between 2008 and 2012, Kristen Stewart has, unfairly, been branded a bad actress. While I do agree that her performance in the 'Twilight' films certainly wasn't one of her best, I think it was more because of the thin writing of her character and bad directing. Stewart did what she could with the character and, unfortunately, her future performances will always revert to the Young Adult series. Before Stewart appeared in the first Twilight film in 2008, she had made supporting roles in films such as Panic Room in 2002 and Zathura: A Space Adventure in 2005, both of which were very good considering she was only 12 in the former. In Panic Room, Stewart played Jodie Foster's daughter who suffered from diabetes and her performance was impressive as the film focused on the pair who, after finding robbers in their house, hide out in the titular room. In Zathura, she played the older sister of Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo's characters and, while her appearance was limited, she still gave a solid performance. This is why I think that it's unfair to state that Stewart is a bad actress after her appearances in the 'Twilight' films. Stewart's performance in Personal Shopper is captivating and proves that she's capable of handling a dramatic role effectively. 

Personal Shopper takes place three months after the death of Maureen's (Stewart) twin brother, Lewis, who died from a genetic heart condition they both share. Before he died, the two made a pact that, if one of them dies, they would communicate from the afterlife. This leads to Maureen looking for a sign from her brother, however, she soon starts receiving mysterious texts from an 'Unknown' number which turn from personal questions to requests to threats.

Maureen lives and works in France as a personal shopper to Kyra (Nora von Waldstätten) who is a famous celebrity and doesn't have time to buy her own clothes. Despite hating both her job and Kyra, Maureen earns a lot of money from it and allows her to spend as much time in France as she wants until she finds a sign from her brother. Unfortunately, this leads to a conflict in her relationship with her boyfriend, Gary, and the two only communicate via Skype where she complains about her job and opens up about her struggles at finding a sign from her brother. These scenes are effective as we find out about how Maureen truly feels, her honest emotions are revealed and we connect with her. 

Personal Shopper can be described as both a suspenseful thriller and character study. I'm not familiar with director Olivier Assayas' previous work so I had no idea what to expect. The unpredictability of the film makes it an effective thriller and Stewart's captivating performance makes it a compelling watch. From the moment Maureen starts receiving texts from the unknown number, the intensity increases and we learn more about Maureen as a person as she reveals her true thoughts to this mysterious stranger. Because she's unhappy with her job, the anonymous texter convinces her to break one of the rules, which is trying on Kyra's dresses. However, the texts soon become dark and threatening and we can see that Maureen is scared as she shakes whilst she texts. For a while, the film focuses on the texts between her and the stranger, which is where most of the suspense comes from, until Maureen makes a shocking discovery.

Because I didn't recognise any of the French actors, I had no problem accepting them as their characters and they all give solid performances. However, none of them can live up to Stewart's portrayal of Maureen. Personal Shopper revolves around her and her life which makes for a film that never loses the viewer's focus. 

Despite being described as a 'ghost story', it's smarter and more mature than most films associated with that description. There are hardly any jump scares and no 'boo!' moments. It's not a horror film, either, as Assayas wasn't interested in making a dark and scary film. His intention was to focus on the central character as she tries to figure out who the mysterious texter is and if she can make a connection to her brother via the afterlife and he has successfully crafted a film that features suspense and thrills. 

Towards the end, the film switches its focus on the mysterious texts to Maureen wanting to find out more about her brother and whether he can make a connection or not. This leads to one chilling moment that takes place in her friend's garden and, in the background inside the house, a man is seen faintly walking inside the house before a glass drops. It's not clear whether this is her brother or not as he never makes an appearance in the film. The ending is ambiguous and ends the film on a though provoking note. 

Personal Shopper was successful at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016, with Assayas winning an award for Best Director. Stewart was also recognised with an award for Best Actress as the Oaxaca Film Festival in Mexico. It's also been popular with critics and has a 79% 'Certified Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes with over 150 critics giving it a positive review. It's been less successful with audiences, however, and was given a limited release in March earlier this year. I do think that Personal Shopper is worth watching though, mainly for Kristen Stewart's captivating performance as the leading character.

7/10