Confessions of a Shopaholic

I have to give credit where credit is due; "Confessions of a Shopaholic" does have some engaging moments of comedic credibility. But unfortunately not enough to provide the film with a high interest rate. "Confessions of a Shopaholic" stars the perky Isla Fisher as Rebecca Bloomwood, a full-time magazine writer who also moonlights and daylights as a full-time shopaholic. Ms. Bloomwoodgale herself persistently shops & shops and has run her credit card balances to astronomical rates. Rebecca is in denial that she has a consumer addiction even though she continues to confront many credit card denials in her shopping sprees. She inadvertently gets hired to work as a journalist in (out of all places) a financial magazine. However, her overridden goal is to work as a fashion journalist in the monarchic fashion magazine "Adelle". She starts writing columns in the financial magazine with the alias "the girl with the green scarf" on the nightmare of commercial manipulation and consumer zaniness. Yes! That is true! Is this great country or what? Oh wait, memo to self: this is a movie! Rebecca's personal list includes: a humble editor boss whom she falls for, a best friend roommate who tries to control her shopamanian ways, and parents who want to pursue their R.V. road trip dreams. Eventually and predictably, Rebecca does get herself in several hot water scenarios caused by her consumer craziness and persistent blasphemy. So therefore, she does go through the self-realization addiction process. Director P.J. Hogan's stereotypical depictions of the consumer industry did not provide me anything of originality to get all charged about. However, I must not discount the fact that I did like how he directed Isla Fisher. She was The Fisher Queen of this film with her zany but yet fervent performance; Isla is sure to have her master thespian card renewed with other comedic leading roles in the foreseeable future. However, the rest of the cast of "Confessions of a Shopaholic" are not worthy of a credit thespian increase. Screenwriter Tracey Jackson's script was not of a "laugh-it-all blue light special" material, but commendable enough for a few laughs in return. Due to our nation's economic strife, "Confessions of a Shopaholic" might not be the ideal movie to watch these days; but then again as was previously mentioned- It is a movie! So this yours truly movieholic will try to sale it to you at a moderate price. *** Average

Take an adorable girl, dress her with a few complications, add some slapstick comedy, throw in just a pinch of romance; et voilà, a colourful, sweet and funny rom-com.

This movie adaptation of the Shopaholic books delivers a light but yet truly enjoyable comedy. Isla Fisher's is back on the screen with an interpretation that matched the one that catapulted her career in Wedding Crashers. A sweet and lovable personality that will overshadow the less likable facets of lies and compulsive buying in which she draws herself. The romance doesn't steal the show either, flourishing gently on the side and giving the final note of a well executed feel good comedy.

You could argue the lack of seriousness in which this disorder is being treated but I believe this is not what the movie tries to achieve. Don't look for an intellectual masterpiece but instead sit down, get comfy and relax cause this is a chick flick that will give you a few laugh-out-loud moments.

This film is about a girl who cannot control her shopping spree, despite her mounting debts and sudden unemployment.

I expected "Confessions of a Shopaholic" to be a light-hearted bubblegum comedy, and it exceeded my expectations. Isla Fisher is so delightful and fun as a helpless addict. Her ways to justify shopping and to keep a blind eye on her debt is hilarious. The jokes are squeaky clean and yet they are laugh out loud funny! The constant fashion show enhance the uplifting atmosphere, making me helplessly happy and joyful.

You don't have to be a shopaholic to enjoy "Confessions of a Shopaholic", as this movie is outrageously hilarious!

Being a non-shopper, I can hardly call myself expert on the parsing of a shopaholic in Confessions of a Shopaholic. But this I can say: Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) is an addict of major proportions, unable to let go of the exhilaration that shopping brings, a feeling that the world is better for her purchases.

The film is a cliché from the get go, as corny as could possibly be about 25 year old writer Rebecca with the shopping affliction who eventually meets her dream man through a series of subterfuges that would make Melanie Griffith's Tess in Working Girl proud. What saves the film from my scourge, which did not spare the recent Pink Panther 2, is Isla Fisher, who plays dangerous innocence with sincerity and fresh-facedness that makes even Anne Hathaway's Devil Wears Prada role seem downright Machiavellian.

Confessions has this going for it: Although it is not a Judd Apatow comedy with some layers of sophisticated social comedy, it has moments of laughter and social conscience. Coming as it does amidst the worst recession in decades, in which shopping would be a welcome antidote to the fear of spending that exacerbates the recession, Confessions almost makes a case for credit spending; then again maybe such encouragement is not a good thing for shopaholics.

In New York, the journalist and compulsive liar Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) is an addicted consumer that can not resist shopping fashionable clothes and outfits in fancy shops and has several unplayable debts with the credit cards. She dreams on working in the fashion magazine Alette owned by the sophisticated Alette Naylor (Kristin Scott Thomas), but she does not succeed in her intent. When Becky loses her job, she drinks a lot of booze with her best friend Suze (Krysten Ritter) and sends an offensive letter to the editor Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy) from the financial magazine "Successful Saving" and an article to Alette to show her potential. However, she unintentionally switches the correspondences in the mailbox and Luke hires her to write a column called "The Girl in the Green Scarf" in his magazine using a simple language and metaphors that could be easily understood by common people. Meanwhile the debt collector Derek Smeath (Robert Stanton) is chasing Becky and she is avoiding him everywhere, telling that he is an ex-boyfriend that is stalking her. When her column becomes a success, Becky is invited to participate in a talk show and Luke and she fall in love for each other. However, her lies and debts put her in a difficult situation with her audience, Suze and Luke.

"Confessions of a Shopaholic" is a silly story with a shallow and unlikable red-haired character that is the stereotype of the dumb-blonde that surprisingly makes laugh with some ridiculous situations. One of the funniest jokes is with Finland and Finnish language, inclusive in the credits Becky presents Alicia as a prostitute to the Finnish guys after leaning the language. I believe that people connected to fashion and fashionable outfits will enjoy this forgettable movie much more than I did. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Os Delírios de Consumo de Becky Bloom" ("The Delirium of Consumption of Becky Bloom")