A recent headline from The New York Times read: "Stocks Slide as New Bailout Disappoints." Okay, so the economy is at an all-time low. Enter Confessions of a Shopaholic, which seems to center on the sparkly shoes we couldn’t afford when Carrie Bradshaw purchased them in bulk. Surprisingly, that carelessness isn't present here because the film focuses on economic collapse. Heroine Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) acts metonymically for America, obsessed with consumerism but living in fear of the debt collector.
Fisher is a master of physical comedy, but even her doe-eyed desperate glances cannot save the plot, which is like Bloomwood’s half-priced Gucci coat, cheap and disappointing. The film retains some brilliant moments in an episodic fashion; it’s hard not to smile watching Fisher argue with dolled-up mannequins in a window display, bringing a whole new meaning to the term “window shopping."
While you want to give your Hermes-scarf-wrapped sympathy to Fisher, her arguing that “shopping makes the world better" as an excuse for her behavior presents a challenge for the audience to really feel for her.
Viewers can expect a fun albeit predictable experience derivative of The Devil Wears Prada with bursts of color, pop music, and fast-paced editing. While Fisher doesn’t quite succeed as playing the girl in financial trouble, it’s at least fun to watch her try (and better than watching CNN list more reasons why not to buy the American Apparel v-neck sweater).
Confessions of a Shopaholic Directed by: P. J. Hogan Starring: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack Rated: PG, 112 min.
