Confessions of a Shopaholic–Movie Review

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2.5 Stars
I had fairly low expectations for Confessions of a Shopaholic and they were mostly fulfilled. There are some funny moments, but on the whole the script is hokey, predictable, uninspired and full of obvious plot holes.

The best thing about it is Isla Fisher who is cute and engaging enough to make us like a character who through most of the movie is thoughtless, irresponsible and dishonest. She has some talent for physical comedy and might be really good in a real screwball comedy, but this movie is not nearly clever and witty enough to succeed at that level.

Fisher plays Rebecca Bloomwood, a young, fashion-mad journalist with a shopping addiction. She wants to get a job at a leading fashion magazine, but due to an improbable series of events she ends up working at as financial advice columnist for a personal finance magazine with a hunky editor (Hugh Dancy). Since her own finances are in a catastrophic state she is manifestly unqualified to give financial advice to anyone, but the situation seems funnier on paper than on the screen.

The movie feels uneven, alternating between fluffy slapstick romantic comedy and a darker tale about addictive self-destructive behavior. Ultimately neither angle really works.