Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-06-29
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 100 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
It’s way past time that Isla Fisher bagged herself a leading role, after solid supporting turns in the likes of Wedding Crashers and Definitely, Maybe and finally, in Confessions Of A Shopaholic, the ex-soap star gets her chance.

She seizes it quite well, too. Based on the Sophie Kinsella book of the same name, Confessions Of A Shopaholic is a fairly conventional romantic comedy, but it’s still a very enjoyable one. It’s directed by PJ Hogan, who previously gave us the excellent double bill of Muriel’s Wedding and My Best Friend’s Wedding, and it follows Fisher’s character Rebecca as she tries to cover up her dedication to shopping, while yearning for a job on a fashion magazine.

The plot goes through the fairly standard shenanigans of the genre, but there are one or two things that lift Confessions Of A Shopaholic above the norm. Firstly, it’s breezy and very good fun. Secondly, PJ Hogan knows this genre better than most, and fashions (no pun intended) a quite tight movie. And thirdly there’s Fisher. It may not be a role that makes her an outright movie star, but there’s compelling evidence here that she’s got the talent to be a leading lady in her own right. This, her first stab at headlining such a film, works really quite well, and her charm and enthusiasm is the best thing in it. Worth taking a look at. –-Jon Foster

DVD Description


Stills from Confessions of a Shopaholic (Click for larger image)

Synopsis
Based on a pair of effervescent novels by Sophie Kinsella, CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC is a light and bubbly confection that should appeal to those who can identify with its heroine's passion. Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher, WEDDING CRASHERS) has a label-filled wardrobe that any fashionista would covet, but she also has credit card debt to match. She craves a job at the Vogue-like Alette, but a position at a financial magazine at the same publishing company may be her ticket in. Despite her painfully low credit rating, Becky starts dishing out advice on saving, while debt collector Derek Smeath (Robert Stanton) is hot on her Louboutin heels. Meanwhile, she is competing for the affections of her charming boss, Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy, THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB), with icy Alette employee Alicia Billington (Leslie Bibb, IRON MAN).

A well-heeled hybrid of SEX AND THE CITY and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, SHOPAHOLIC features the talents of Patricia Field, costume designer for those two films. The clothes are almost on an equal footing with the actors here, and each well-chosen piece in Manhattan shop windows or worn by Bloomwood helps contribute to the film's bright mood. A lesser actress might have been lost in all the colours, but Fisher is a formidable comic presence who pulls off Becky's ditzy lines and goofy falls with equal aplomb.

Customer Reviews

Not quite what I was expecting...
I was thrilled when I heard about "Confessions of a Shopaholic" will become a movie. Exactly because I am a big fan of the entire book series.

And than the movie came. But it disappointed me somehow. The cast was excellent, Becky being the one I imagined reading the books, Luke the same. But there the resemblence stopped. Ok, you'll accuse me of being one of those single-minded persons who sees only one side of the medal. But...sorry, I can not! Becky is English, more English than Bridget Jones herself and to transform her in an American... Suze was supposed to meet Tarquin "on the way" and he was a plain, borring, rich, horrible (in Becky's opinion) dressed, Scottish guy, who did not even interest Suze, in the begining. And Becky...Becky was supposed to work for a television. Luke had Brandon communications from the start, he did not work for anyone. And so on....

This is always the mistake the writters do. They take a funny book (I would not use the adjective "great" because it isn't the case) and transform it in something that, they believe, would be more appealling for the larger public. For me, Becky Bloomwood died in the moment she became American.

On the other hand, it was kind of funny, well acted and I have to admit that Isla Fisher did a great job. But it lacked something, a spark, a little bit more chemistry between the main characters. Maybe Alicia Billington should have been more of a villain than a ... clown who tried so hard to be mean. But, in the end, it is a funny movie for a Sunday rainy afternoon spend with your girl-friends and a warning for what you may become if you are addicted to shopping (I've started to believe I am one...).

Hmmmm
Being a massive fan of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books, I was really looking forward to this film, but unfortunately it was a big let down for me. In fact, I actually fell asleep halfway through and my other half left the room to do something else. I think Isla Fisher makes a good Becky, but there were only a few scenes that were true to the books. And why set this in America when it is truly a British story? There are very many excellent British actresses and actors that could have played the parts just as well (if not better in some cases) as the American cast. There were no real laugh out loud moments which was very disappointing. I'd recommend reading the books, they are fantastic and very funny.

When the going gets tough - the tough go shopping
I've been waiting for this film to be released since I first heard it was in production - 6 months ago - and it's been a long wait! I've been chomping at the bit to go and see it since I heard it was coming out in February. I've read every book in this series and so I had high hopes for the film. I wasn't dissapointed - much! While the film was very laugh-out-loud funny for most of the time, it only stuck loosly to the theme of the book. For a start, Rebecca lives in London and the film is set in New York. There are also some very funny moments in the book that I wish would have panned out on screen. Also, books one and two are merged, the ending of two providing the finale of this film. But while I preferred the book, the film was very good, and Isla Fisher more than matched up to my image of Becky - actually I thought Isla portrayed a better Becky than the Becky we meet in the book, coming across as more endearing and innocent and you really feel sorry for her in parts.
Hugh Dancy plays Luke Brandon, and while they altered his character a lot, (For a start he's editor of Successful Saving in the film while in the book he's head honcho of his own multi-million pound firm) I think he did a very good job of playing Luke, even if in my imagination Luke Brandon was taller and more clean-cut.

All in all this film is a good watch, and I got totally lost in the plot line. And while a lot of characters have been altered for the screen I still enjoyed it. Maybe it wasn't wise to release a film about a shopoholic when people are drowning in a credit-crunch but it brings a little light relief into otherwise depressing times. All in all, Isla and Hugh did a great job in the lead roles and I would like a few sequals pan out - particularly 'Ties the Knot' and 'Baby'
For anyone going to see this film, I'd say see it first then read the book - for me having done it in the reverse kind of spoiled the film for me as it didn't quite match up to my expectations having read the book first. Nevertheless I will be buying this when it comes out. A feel-good comedy/romance that even the thriftiest person would enjoy.