REVIEW: Confessions of a Shopaholic

For girls who believe shops are more fulfilling than money, men or other menial things

If you are a girl and you are a shopaholic, you are bound to enjoy this movie. But maybe not as much as the original book by Sophie Kinsella. Confessions of a Shopaholic, the film, has everything that a good chick-flick should have – lots of colourful clothes, a cute guy, a best friend (who's not played by Joan Cusack!), a rival (the B***H) and so on and so forth. But somewhere it fails to be as personal as the book itself.

Isla Fisher – The shopaholic

Rebecca Bloomwood, the incorrigible shopaholic is played by Isla Fisher. She is the quintessential sweet little girl who loves good clothes, big labels, handbags she doesn't need and shoes and scarves and even portable camp bags. Reminds you of somebody you know? Somebody you see in the mirror every morning?

Casting Fisher in the lead role is definitely a great choice. Primarily because any girl can identify with her. She is not extraordinarily pretty or utterly sexy. She is just a normal girl (like me and you) who loves shopping. Shops are her only true 'love'. Shopping gives her everything that a girl could want from a relationship – it pampers her, cheers her up when she's feeling low, gives her reason to be happy, dresses her up for dinner parties…well, ALMOST everything.

And then there was no shopping!

The story begins when Rebecca blows up a bill of $ 16,000 on her credit cards and also loses her job. The plight however is not about 'What will I eat now?' or 'Where will I live now?' but a more earth shattering 'How will I shop now?'. So she starts looking for her dream job in that big fashion publication. But hey, the story needs an enemy. So obviously the job is already taken up by the oh-so-sexy, oh-so-perfect, but oh-so-obnoxiously b**chy female.

So what does she do? In desperate need for a job (primarily to pay off her credit card debt), Rebecca takes up a job in a financial magazine to write articles about 'how to manage you finances'. Ironic? Yes! But such is life, is it not?

The story moves on with shopaholic Ms Rebecca Bloomwood finding her Mr Right, gaining surprising success in a finance magazine, registering in a shopaholics anonymous support group, landing the perfect green scarf and finding enough courage to sell all her designer clothes and become a reformed shopaholic. And in the process, the film delivers some really funny moments, a dream story for every girl and the perfect self help video for a shopaholic.

Perfect performances or should we say good casting?

In a light hearted film like Confessions… one can't and shouldn't hope to find earth-shattering, Oscar-winning performances. The trick is to deliver the perfect performance which makes the audience enjoy the film. Isla Fisher does that extremely well. If her physical appearance suits the image of Rebecca Bloomwood, her funny antics make us believe she IS really the girl Kinsella wrote about.

Hugh Dancy as the Mr Right - Luke Brandon is what girls want in a chick flick. He can so be the world's cutest boss! Krysten Ritter as Suze successfully succeeds Joan Cusack (Remember Runaway Bride?) to be the perfect Best Girl Friend in a chick flick. She is everything that a girlfriend in a chick flick should be – not too pretty, more organized than the protagonist, funny, understanding, sweet and supportive. She will make you want to call up your girl friends and talk about those pajama parties and drinking sessions. Particularly after the scene where the two girls Rebecca and Suze have a grilling session with a lot to drink and end up only getting successfully sloshed!

Joan Cusack is there too in the film. However, she is no more the best friend but the doting mother. And she's sweet as always. Though we must say we liked her more as the mad girl friend.

Probably the only thing that's missing in the film is the personal touch which the book provides. Reading the book, you almost feel ashamed about being a shopaholic (if you are one). Watching the film however, fails to generate the same response. It's fun, but not as funny as the book. And if you are a shopaholic and are in denial, it's probably better to watch the film than read the book – the written words hit a lot harder!

VERDICT: If you are a girl, chances are that you love shopping too (to put it mildly), and chances are that you have at least 10 friends who feel the same. And if you want to enjoy womanhood and friendship and shopping, go watch this film together after (obviously) you're done with your shopping trip. You'll not regret it!

RATING: 3/5