Confessions of a Shopaholic is based on the popular series of chick-lit novels by Sophie Kinsella and stars Isla Fisher as ditzy New York singleton Rebecca Bloomwood, who shares a flat with her best friend Suze (Krysten Ritter) and dreams of a job on a fashion magazine. Instead, she winds up as a journalist for a financial magazine run by handsome editor Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy), where she quickly captures the public’s imagination as a columnist known as The Girl With The Green Scarf, despite knowing next to nothing about finance.

It would be nice to be able to say that Confessions of a Shopaholic was a subtle indictment of the financial irresponsibility that led to the current credit crunch, but sadly, that’s not really the case and the scriptwriters are more concerned with pratfalls and vaguely tasteless jokes about addiction (e.g. a scene where Rebecca accidentally causes her entire Shopaholics group to relapse by talking about how great shopping is).

It doesn’t help that Rebecca is a deeply irritating, horribly self-obsessed character to begin with. Isla Fisher has been adorable and funny elsewhere, but she struggles painfully here and there’s zero chemistry between her and Dancy to boot.

On top of that, the film wastes a talented supporting cast, to the point where you really feel sorry for them, particularly Joan Cusack, who, rather shockingly, is playing Fisher’s mother.

Confessions of a Shopaholic is a disappointing romcom that fails to push any of the required emotional buttons, thanks to a sloppy, unfocussed script and a central character who’s impossible to care about. Recommeded only if you like romcom, and Isla Fisher is really cute in this movie.

credits: ViewLondon | Yahoo! Movies Singapore

Official Movie Poster

Singapore Date: 26th March 2009 Language: English Running Time: 106 mins Rating: PG Genre: Comedy Tagline: All she ever wanted was a little credit… Starring: Sam Mendes, Hugh Dancy, Isla Fisher, Joan Cusack, Krysten Ritter Directed by: P.J. Hogan Company: Touchstone Pictures Singapore Distributor: Buena Vista International iZone Rating: 6/10 Official Website : Confessions of a Shopaholic

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