Review of Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) by Mimi S — 08 Feb 2014

Confessions of a Shopaholic is a dumb and unrealistic rom-com which makes my IQ drop by at least 50 points whenever I watch it. This film is on a lot on TV so I can't escape it. Whilst it's watch-able it's also infuriating and makes all women out to be materialistic and dumb shopaholics. The film is about Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) who loves shopping and just spends spends spends without thinking about the consequences until it starts to catch up on her and she's left in debt. Not only is that bad enough she loses her job and instead gets lumbered at a financial magazine by accident, but she'd much rather work for her dream fashion magazine, Alette. Isla Fisher's character is just really dumb; this film is infuriating as it reinforces the whole women acting dumb thing as a turn on. Rebecca Bloomwood is clearly an airhead yet she gets hired to work for a financial magazine when she knows nothing about finance nor is she interested in it and her hot boss Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy) falls for her. God I might start acting dumb if it works for Rebecca Bloomwood. Isla Fisher's character annoys the hell out of me, usually I quite like Isla Fisher but she's just irritating in this.

As a female not even I can relate to this film; whilst I love shopping I know my limits; I go shopping every now and then and I only buy something if I really really like it. If I'm low on money I avoid shopping. It seems that Rebecca Bloomwood buys whatever rubbish she can get her hands on; overpriced designer clothes that don't even look that nice. The film is just so cliché and annoying; Rebecca Bloomwood's dumb antics just make me want to shake her. She's the dumbest woman in any chick-flick I've seen. My favourite is when she lies about being able to speak Finnish; she's like "no one ever checks up on Finland" yet at a launch party she meets a Finnish man and she's pretty much fucked because she doesn't speak a word of Finnish. The film is also unrealistic and far too clichéd. The acting in this film was ok, not too bad, though Isla Fisher just ends up doing the same kind of roles; she should really try stepping out of her comfort zone. Hugh Dancy was really good in this and he's really hot, which makes the film worth watching. Also Joan Cusack and John Goodman were really good in this as Rebecca's frugal and easy-going parents ; they were one of the few decent and likeable characters in the film.

All in all Confessions of a Shopaholic is watch-able enough, but still reinforces so many stereotypes about women and spending. Rebecca's dumb antics just make me want to cringe and yet how she becomes successful and bag herself a hot man baffle me. I'm smart yet I'm not successful nor do I have a hot boyfriend. Ignore me I'm being bitter, but even if I did I'd still find this film stupid. It's all over the top and over dramatical. I don't know why some films think that over-exaggerating makes a film more funny, well it doesn't. This film is ok to watch for a rainy day and since it's always on and there's nothing else to watch I always end up watching it, doesn't mean I like it though. It's watch-able but still a dumb typical chick-flick.

Grade: D.