Confessions of a Shopaholic Review

The main cast was:

• Isla Fisher as Rebecca Bloomwood
• John Goodman as Graham Bloomwood
• Joan Cusack as Jane Bloomwood
• Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon
• Krysten Ritter as Suze
• Robert Stanton as Derek Smeath

Rebecca Bloomwood is a 25-year-old who loves to shop.  If she thinks the accessories will compliment an outfit she has to have it no matter the cost.  When she sees it she buys it and usually her way of buying is charging.  As a young child she believed that credit cards were pretty magic plastic cards that had the power to buy anything and make you happy.  But as she got older she found herself drowning in a sea of endless debt and she has got to find a way to pay off all the bills that she has accumulated.

Rebecca is a journalist who dreams of writing for a fashion magazine.  When she believes the window of opportunity has been opened she jumps on the chance to get an interview.  She is pleasantly surprised when she sees whom will be interviewing her and who her competition is in the fashion industry.  But the one big problem is that she has taken a position writing for a financial magazine for the same company that produces the fashion magazine.  How can she write articles and give financial advice when she can't even budget a dollar?  Her column The Green Scarf Woman begins getting a lot of attention and there may just be a way for her to pay all her debts off after all.  

Rebecca lives with her best friend Suze.  Suze is very understanding of her plight so hardly ever accepts the rent money because she knows Rebecca needs it more than she does.  At one point in the movie Suze picks out the most special dress in the world for Rebecca to wear in her wedding.  Rebecca is in need of money and makes a decision on what she must return.  Does she return an outfit or the hideous maid of honor's dress?

Rebecca's parents (Graham and Jane) are very eclectic and have been saving their entire life to retire on the open road.  When they realize their daughter has hit hard times they decide to help out.  You will have to see Confessions Of A Shopaholic to see what they do.  Will they give up their dreams of traveling the world to help their daughter?  A memorable quote is when John Goodman is trying to tell his daughter that she will get thru this.  He tells her that if our economy can be billions of dollars in debt and still survive then so can she.

A really funny part of the movie was when Suze encourages Rebecca to attend a support group for shopaholics.  It was funny to see the members discuss their addictions and even funnier when Rebecca took over the group and everyone began longing for yet another shopping excursion.

Rebecca has racked up over $16,000 in credit card debts and she has a debt collector, Derek Smeath, hounding her.  When she refuses to return his phone calls he does the unspeakable.  Smeath goes to her hometown to see her in person.  In the meantime, Rebecca meets Luke and when she is strapped for cash and just must have a certain green scarf he gives her the money.  As the movie progresses you will see the significance of the green scarf and Luke's donation.

I laughed throughout the movie and there were moments when I thought I was going to cry.  I have never heard of Hugh Dancy but I must say he was nice to look at and I loved his English accent.  Dancy and Fisher make a beautiful onscreen couple. 

The producers did a wonderful job approaching the subject of credit card use, abuse and debt collecting.  It was funny to hear Rebecca make up one story after another on why she couldn't pay a bill or why she wasn't available and when Smeath appears in person then it just gets more hilarious. 

Confessions Of A Shopaholic seemed to portray a growing problem in the U.S. and as I watched I was just glad that I didn't own a credit card.  But what I did realize that I can be just as guilty as the person who abuses a credit card.  I know there are times when I will not pay the full amount on a bill so that I can have extra money for something I think I just need.  I have learned thru the years to budget my finances but I know I could still do better.  My excuse: I'm single and I don't make a lot of money.  When you have a mortgage, car payment, utilities and every thing else then it does get hard sometimes.  Living on a budget is tough but not impossible but in my case "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." 

I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants a good laugh.  I wouldn't pay the $20+ to buy the DVD right when it is released but I would definitely add it to my video collection once the price was reduced.

Confessions Of A Shopaholic was about 115 minutes long.  It was rated PG-13 for some language and perhaps mild sensuality.  There is also a soundtrack available and many of the songs were from the 80s and/or remakes from 80s songs.