FAQ

Confessions of a Shopaholic is based on the first two novels in a series of five novels by English author Sophie Kinsella (aka Madeleine Wickham): (1) The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (2000) (also titled Confessions of a Shopaholic)) and (2) Shopaholic Abroad (2001) (also titled Shopaholic Takes Manhattan). There are three more novels in the series: (3) Shopaholic Ties The Knot (2001), (4) Shopaholic & Sister (2004), and (5) Shopaholic & Baby (2007). The story was adapted for the screen by screenwriters Tim Firth and Tracey Jackson.

Those who have both read the books and seen the movie report that the movie follows the plot of the books but that there are several differences. Most notable at the start of the movie is that it is set in New York City instead of London. Another notable difference is that the main character (Rebecca Bloomwood) is 25 years old in the novel but that Isla Fisher, the actress who plays Becky, looks more like a 20-year-old. [Fisher was actually 31 when the movie was filmed.] Another commentable difference is that the character of Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy) in the movie is an editor at Successful Savings instead of the head of Brandon Communications and that he is portrayed as rather "geeky" and boyish as opposed to the charm and confidence of the character in the novel. To deal with what is going on in Becky's inner mind causing her to shop, shop, shop, the movie has invented talking mannequins; some viewers have complained about the mannequins not being in the novels and would have preferred using voiceover instead. Finally, the comedy in the movie has been described as more "slapstick" and "screwball" than the simple humor of the novels.