"Confessions of a Shopaholic"

Morgan Downing

Dr. Steyn

Writing for Mass Media

5 October 2009

“Confessions of a Shopaholic”

Directed by: P.J. Hogan

Produced by: Chad Oman, Mike Stenson, Ron Bozman

Release Date: 13 February 2009

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Runtime: 104 min

Rebecca Bloomwood is a free spirited, quirky, New York City girl with big dreams. She aspires to be a writer for a top fashion magazine, Alette, however, her shopping addiction gets in the way of everything. “Confessions of a Shopaholic” is a chick flick filled with romance, comedy and drama.

Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy were perfect matches for their characters. Rebecca grew up with parents Jane and John Bloomwood (Joan Cusack and John Goodman). They were money savers and thrift store shoppers, so it’s only fitting that they have a daughter who gets herself into $16,000 worth of debt. Rebecca meets Luke (Dancy) in the middle of a shopping “crisis” and he helps buy her “sick aunt” a scarf. It turns out she sees Luke later that day while interviewing for Successful Saving magazine.

Luke is a businessman and the magazine’s editor. Although Rebecca isn’t the money-saving type, Luke sees potential in her and gives her a job as a reporter. Successful Saving and Alette have the same owners. She needs to get to the top of the magazine family so she takes the job and is handed the duty of writing about the stock market crisis.

While spontaneously figuring out ways to show Luke she isn’t a fake, she is secretly aiming for the chance to meet the CEO of Alette magazine, Alette Naylor, (Kristin Scott Thomas). Naylor is a British sophisticate, who is all about fashion.

Hayley, Julie Hagerty, plays the friend who seems to have her life under control. She is engaged and deals with her own life as well as tries to help Rebecca manage her own. Hayley is constantly offering helpful advice to Rebecca.

Rebecca is in complete denial about being a shopaholic. Plus, it seems as though everything is working out for her at the time. The drama begins when she and Luke are on a morning show about how successful her articles in Successful Saving have become.

Jealousy has to be a factor in any romantic drama. Alicia Billington, played by Leslie Bibb, works for Alette and seems to have it all. Once she starts noticing Rebecca catching Alette’s eye, she kicks the backstabbing into gear. She finds out about Rebecca’s debt and drama unravels.

“Confessions of a Shopaholic” is engaging in that you can almost put yourself in the character’s shoes. In reality, times do get hectic and we all feel a little overwhelmed. It’s nice to see these actors portraying real-life emotions and scenarios.

“Confessions of a Shopaholic” is great for young girls and women. It will leave you wanting a life and love as easy as Rebecca’s at the end.