CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC

US, 2009, 104 minutes, Colour.
Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancey, Joan Cusack, John Goodman, John Lithgow, Kristen Scott Thomas, Leslie Bibb, Lyn Redgrave, Julie Hagerty.
Directed by P.J. Hogan.

Probably the most balanced review for this light romantic comedy would come from a person who is neither mean nor extravagant when they go shopping. Since this reviewer is a 'scroogeaholic', then spending 100 minutes with a young woman who can't say no to a dress, a bag, a pair of shoes, a scarf or any number of accessories and can put her head down with the best (or worst) of them stampeding the doors of a bargain sale, is not necessarily what I would choose to watch.

But, here it is in this age of fashion and Sex and the City and arriving during the credit crunch (and more sales!).

Since it has been directed by P.J.Hogan who has shown how he can make comedies about obsessed young woman that make you sit up and take notice (Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding), then one has high hopes.

The film is blessed with Isla Fisher who can do ditzy with intimations of sense (deep down admittedly, but possible). She has glided through life exhilarated by buying (and even imagines shop mannequins giving her advice or trying to entice her) but there comes a time. Debt collectors begin stalking. Credit cards are no longer valid. Cash is scarce. What is a temporarily-poor-middle-class-ambitious-writer-girl to do?

She can turn out an article intended for a fashion magazine and put it in the wrong envelope so that she is interviewed by a finance editor – who (fate, destiny, karma?) happened to give her the remaining money when she could not pay for a green scarf she coveted. Since she becomes a hit writer using day-by-day images to explain finance, she has to lead a double life of expertise and failure (even going to Shopaholics Anonymous meetings – and ruining member's resolutions). She falls out with her flatmate, wants to borrow money from her parents (John Goodman and Joan Cusack), pretends that the debt collector is a stalker. Then, of course, it all comes undone. But...

Hugh Dancy is in what used to be a Hugh Grant role. He has the charm – but, probably, more dramatic ability than Grant. Who should be cast as the elitist fashion arbiter and editor but Kristin Scott Thomas, with a mock French English accent and stealing the scenes she appears in. John Lithgow and Julie Hagerty also turn up, so there is a strong cast.

But, this is the kind of film that has its cake while it eats it. Shopaholicism is bad – but aren't the temptations wonderful!

1.A comedy with the light touch? Romantic comedy? The consumer world and its ethos? Glossy magazines, shops? The stance of the screenplay?

2.The vision of the shopaholic’s world, the perspective of the shopaholic, the visual point of view: shops, clothes, mannequins speaking and giving advice, the stores, the displays, the fight and tangles for bargains, advertisements, everything enticing, the world of design, colour, fashion? The credit cards and cash and problems?

3.Rebecca, growing up, her parents and their ability to manage money, to put some away, her visits with them, their love for her, her wanting some money from them – and the irony of them going out to buy the campervan, to spend all their money, to go on trips? Their being willing to sell the van for Rebecca to get out of debt? Suze and flatmate, Suze and her fiancé, getting married? The preparation for the wedding? Rebecca and the trying out of the dress? Rebecca and her needs, wants? The ‘this goes with that’ syndrome? Her closets full of clothes, shoes, extravagance? The irony of her having to get rid of some of them for Shopaholics Anonymous, and her failing? Ultimately her having to sell everything to raise money to pay her debt?

4.Rebecca and her work, journalism, her ambition to join the magazine Arlette? Her ideas, ambitions, writing? The various magazines and the magazine world, her friends, glamour? Preparing for the interview, the temptation of the green scarf, unable to use her credit cards, not having enough cash, Luke and his stepping in to pay? Her lies to him? Arrival at the company, her gaffes, the irony of Luke to interview her?

5.Her patter, ideas, not being able to write the promised article, continuing to shop? Finally finishing the piece, Luke’s comments as editor, the analogies for the financial situation? Her articles as the Girl in the Green Scarf? Success, the board and its affirmation, the various interviews? Her building up to television? Her ensemble? Aleete and the design? The going to the Miami conference?

6.Her double life in terms of saving money and buying? Her writing and yet ingenuous? Her pratfalls? Luke and his awkwardness, nice, Suze and the clash with Rebecca?

7.The meetings, the Shopaholics Anonymous, the various members of the group and their falling down in spending? Rebecca and her introduction to the group, friendly with all of them, the leader of the group? The return, everybody lapsed, the stricter supervisor? Her reaction, taking the group around the shops, testing them out? Rebecca and her having to sell everything?

8.Luke, his rich background, his wanting to do things on his own, his working at the magazine, his dress sense and Rebecca’s criticisms? Going out, getting fitted with the new outfit, the dancing? The issue of the stalker, his ringing Rebecca all the time, wanting her to pay her debts? Her lies, the office handling them, Haley and her getting rid of the stalker, believing Rebecca? The television show, the debt collector in the audience, the expose of Rebecca? Haley and her wanting to buy some of the bargains when Rebecca sold off everything? Buying the dress so that she would be able to attend the wedding?

9.Luke and his character, charm, British background, his leaving the company, the discussions with Edgar West, West and his building up his own empire, admiring both Rebecca and Luke? The encouragement?

10.Aleete, Kristen Scott Thomas and her mocking of the French English accent? Cold, her manner, style, clothes, design, her magazines, hiring Alysha and Alysha’s hostility towards Rebecca? Wanting to dress Rebecca for the television show? Coming to her house, meeting her parents, offering her the job, Rebecca finally deciding against it?

11.The portrait of the parents, their background, money, their caravan, their love for Rebecca and supporting her?

12.Rebecca getting back to normal, in love with Luke, reconciling all the differences? A future?

13.The background of American consumerism, materialism, the light touch, the jokes (and the adaptation of a British story to the United States)?