Addiction can take many dangerous forms, from smoking to drinking to more illegal substances. Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher), the pretty young heroine of “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” also has a serious addiction, but her vice is shopping. Nothing gets Rebecca’s heart pounding more than seeing beautiful clothes on display in a store window.
Based on the best-selling novels by Sophie Kinsella, “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” which is coming to home video on June 23, follows the fashionable Ms. Bloomwood as she struggles to pay her ever-increasing credit card bills. Rebecca dreams of writing for “Alette,” a glossy fashion magazine, but she can’t even get past the reception desk for an interview.
The Shopaholic Writes a Financial Column
Rebecca then applies to “Successful Saving,” a financial magazine that also is published by the same company as “Alette.” She figures that if she can do well at this sister magazine, this would create some opportunities for her. Unfortunately, she doesn’t make a really good first impression on the magazine’s practical new boss, Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy).
When she loses her current writing job, a desperate Rebecca submits a story to “Successful Saving” that Luke really likes, so much so that he offers her a three-week trial at the magazine. After a rocky start, Rebecca’s unconventional way of looking at the financial world helps make the struggling financial magazine more popular.
A Debt Collector Could End the Shopaholic’s Dream
The ultimate shopaholic finally is on the road to success, but she still has one problem that could cause her to lose everything. A persistent debt collector (Robert Stanton) keeps trying to track her down, even calling her repeatedly at her new job. If Luke finds out that his top financial writer is in serious debt, that could end Rebecca’s writing dreams forever.
Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy Work Well Together in “Confessions of a Shopaholic”
Bringing energy and enthusiasm to the title role, Isla Fisher is fun to watch in “Confessions of a Shopaholic.” Fisher literally throws herself into the role of Rebecca, a girl who falls in love with those pretty “magic cards” that let women take home lots of nice things.
Fisher works well opposite the more laid back Hugh Dancy (“The Jane Austen Book Club”). Dancy’s performance as Luke balances out Fisher’s manic energy, turning “Shopaholic” into a fun, harmless romp through the publishing world.
The two-disc DVD set comes with a copy of the movie and a digital disc, which lets you transfer the movie to a handheld device such as an iPod. The Bonus Features include bloopers, deleted scenes and a “Stuck With Each Other” Music Video.
“Confessions of a Shopaholic,” rated PG for some mild language and thematic elements, will be available on DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def on Tuesday, June 23.
