Performance & Direction: Personal Shopper Review
Last updated: January 20, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Personal Shopper (2016) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 5.9/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Drama.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Drama is often anchored by its ensemble, and Personal Shopper features a noteworthy lineup led by Kristen Stewart . Supported by the likes of Lars Eidinger and Sigrid Bouaziz , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of Personal Shopper (2016) is mixed. With an audience rating of 5.9/10, it stands as a highly recommended experience for genre enthusiasts.
Story & Plot Summary: Personal Shopper
Quick Plot Summary: Personal Shopper is a Drama, Mystery, Thriller film that explores complex human emotions and relationships through detailed character development. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
Story Breakdown
This character-driven narrative explores the internal and external conflicts that define the human experience. Maureen, mid-20s, is a personal shopper for a media celebrity. The job pays for her stay in Paris, a city she refuses to leave until she makes contact with her twin brother who previously died there. Her life becomes more complicated when a mysterious person contacts her via text message. The screenplay takes time to develop its characters, allowing audiences to connect emotionally with their struggles and triumphs. Each scene builds upon the last, creating a cumulative emotional impact.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: We meet the main character in their ordinary world, establishing the emotional baseline before the inciting incident disrupts their life.
- Character Arc: Character development is present but somewhat formulaic, following familiar patterns without adding fresh perspectives to the genre.
- Climax & Resolution: The emotional climax brings character arcs to their natural conclusion, providing catharsis while staying true to the story's core themes.
Ending Explained: Personal Shopper
Ending Breakdown: Personal Shopper attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to drama resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the drama themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of Personal Shopper reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch Personal Shopper?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for Drama films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
Box Office Collection: Personal Shopper
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $6.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $1.3M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Personal Shopper Budget
The estimated production budget for Personal Shopper is $6.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: Personal Shopper
All Cast & Crew →
Where to Watch Personal Shopper Online?
Streaming Hub🎟️ Rent on
Amazon VideoPersonal Shopper Parents Guide & Age Rating
2016 AdvisoryWondering about Personal Shopper age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Personal Shopper is 106 minutes (1h 46m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Final Verdict
Analyzing the audience sentiment, IMDb rating of 5.9/10, and global collection metrics, Personal Shopper stands as a challenging project for the creators. It remains an essential piece of the 2016 cinematic year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Personal Shopper worth watching?
Personal Shopper is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies. It has a verified rating of 5.9/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Personal Shopper parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Personal Shopper identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Personal Shopper?
The total duration of Personal Shopper is 106 minutes, which is approximately 1h 46m long.
Best Movies to Watch if you liked Personal Shopper
How Personal Shopper Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for Personal Shopper
"A lonely existence tormented by distant voices is examined in Olivier Assayas’ Personal Shopper, a moody, occasionally frustrating, often brilliant study in isolation, grief and disenfranchisement..." Read the full review here: http://screen-space.squarespace.com/reviews/2016/6/15/personal-shopper.html
**Texting, shopping and Ghosting!** This film was different. My bad, I did not quite get the title at first. I misunderstood it. I thought it was like a Shopaholic theme, a person with a shopping addiction. Then what I saw was different, and somewhere in the narration it explains what the title meant. The real challenge watching it is the slow moving storyline. Dull and silent on most of the parts. But the mix of fantasy, like supernatural and regular drama brings interesting fact us to stay with it. Though the most of the film was about texting and shopping. I even thought does it any way connected to Stewart's previous film 'Clouds of Sils Maria'. Because there's something where both the films syncs with. Despite being a bit boring film, Kristen Stewart is the reason it is watchable. Her performance was good, but again the mystery about the unexplainable things holds us as well. Definitely a watchable film, but not an entertaining film that you are looking for on a weekend. I'm not sure who is the target audience, but surely less people will think it is a fine film. So I hope you choose it carefully. _4/10_
Well ... How's within that, that the soul ... continues to exist ... after death? Personal Shopper is written and directed by Olivier Assayas. It stars Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Sigrid Bouaziz, Anders Danielsen Lie, Ty Olwin and Hammou Graïa. Cinematography is by Yorick Le Saux. A personal shopper in Paris refuses to leave the city until she makes contact with her twin brother who previously died there. Her life becomes more complicated when a mysterious person starts to contact her via text messages. Personal Shopper is a film that's impossible to recommend with any confidence, even if I personally liked it well enough. It was booed on first showing at Cannes, yet upon the second main screen viewing of it, it got a five minute standing ovation. If you look at the reviews on sites such as IMDb you will see plenty of 1/10 reviews mixed with high scoring ones, evidence of the divisive nature of Assayas' picture. A lot of people went into it expecting a "Paranormal Activity" type of film, but it's far from that. It's a meditation on grief and the complexities of the mind and the human condition under duress. Stewart gives her all for the director, a real bravura performance. Yes, the ending is either going to make or break your faith in what you have just witnessed, but if you buy into, and think about the narrative's trajectory, this has haunting and ethereal rewards. 7/10
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
