Confessions of a Shopaholic (film)

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Confessions of a Shopaholic
Theatrical release poster
Directed byP. J. Hogan
Screenplay by
Based onConfessions of a Shopaholic and
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
by Sophie Kinsella
Produced byJerry Bruckheimer
Starring
CinematographyJo Willems
Edited byWilliam Goldenberg
Music byJames Newton Howard
Production
companies
Distributed byWalt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date
  • February 13, 2009 (2009-02-13)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$44 million[1]
Box office$108.3 million[2]

Confessions of a Shopaholic is a 2009 American romantic comedy film based on the first two entries in the Shopaholic series of novels by Sophie Kinsella. Directed by P. J. Hogan, the film stars Isla Fisher as the shopaholic journalist and Hugh Dancy as her boss.

Plot[edit]

Rebecca "Becky" Bloomwood is a shopping addict who lives in New York City with her best friend Suze. She works as a journalist for a gardening magazine but dreams of joining the fashion magazine Alette. On the way to an interview with Alette, she tries to purchase a green scarf, but her credit card is declined. Rebecca goes to a hot dog stand and offers to buy all the hot dogs with a check if the seller gives her back change in cash, claiming that the scarf is meant to be a gift for her sick aunt. The vendor refuses but another customer gives her the $20 she needs for the scarf.

When Rebecca arrives at the interview, she's told that the position has been filled internally. However, the receptionist tells her there is an open position with the magazine Successful Saving, explaining that getting a job at Successful Saving could eventually lead to a position at Alette magazine. Rebecca interviews with Luke Brandon, the editor of Successful Saving and the man who had given her the $20. She hides her scarf outside his office, but Luke's assistant comes into the office and gives it back to her. Knowing she has been caught, Rebecca leaves.

That evening, she and Suze get drunk and write letters to Alette and Successful Saving, but in her intoxicated state she mails each to the wrong magazine. Luke likes the letter she meant to send to Alette and hires her. Rather than completing a work assignment for a new column, Rebecca goes to a clothing sale. While inspecting a cashmere coat that she had just purchased, she realizes it is not 100% cashmere and she has been duped. This gives her an idea for the column, which she writes and submits to Luke. As Rebecca is hesitant to use her real name, Luke publishes it under the moniker "The Girl in the Green Scarf."

"The Girl in The Green Scarf" becomes a huge hit among business groups, and even Rebecca's own parents advise her to read her articles. The articles are referenced in business groups in Asia, causing the Successful Saving magazine to go international. This brings much praise to Rebecca, from Suze and her peers in the workplace. After being asked to participate in a TV interview, Rebecca meets with the editor of Alette to purchase a dress for the occasion.

Rebecca later returns home to renewed confrontations with her debt collector, Derek Smeath. Suze makes her attend Shopaholics Anonymous. After purchasing dresses for her interview and Suze’s wedding, she meets the new Shopaholics Anonymous group leader, Miss Korch, who forces Rebecca to donate all the clothes she just bought, not believing her when Rebecca says one of the dresses is her bridesmaid's dress. Unable to afford to buy back both dresses, Rebecca chooses the interview dress. During the interview, Derek, in attendance, confronts Rebecca about her debt. Successful Saving subsequently terminates Rebecca's column for bringing discredit on the magazine.

Suze is furious when she learns that Rebecca lost the bridesmaid dress. Rebecca's father, Graham, is more sympathetic, remarking that the United States has not fallen despite its gigantic national debt, and offers to sell his recreational vehicle to help her. Rebecca declines his offer, saying that he earned the camper through years of hard work and saving, and resolves to tackle her debts on her own. Alette offers Rebecca a position at the magazine, but she declines after realizing she’d be expected to lie to the readers. Meanwhile, Luke starts a new company, Brandon Communications.

In order to earn the money to repay her debts, the members of Shopaholic Anonymous help Rebecca stage a clothes sale, which generates a lot of revenue, but not enough to retire her debts. She finally sells her green scarf when a woman bids on it for $300, making it possible for her pay back all her debt, which she gives to Derek entirely in pennies to make it as inconvenient for him as possible.

Rebecca makes it to Suze's wedding after reclaiming her bridesmaid dress and Suze forgives her. After the wedding, Rebecca walks past an Yves Saint Laurent store window. She is briefly tempted to buy a new purse and dress, but eventually walks away. Rebecca then runs into Luke who returns the green scarf to her, revealing that the woman who bought it was his agent. Rebecca and Luke kiss and Rebecca begins working with Luke at his new company.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

The film adapts the two books The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad which in the United States were known as Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Takes Manhattan respectively.[3] The film uses the novel's American title Confessions of a Shopaholic reinterpreting Rebecca as an American rather than English.

According to DVD commentary, Lithgow turned down the role of Edgar West twice before accepting it. Armisen was approached for the West role after Lithgow initially turned it down, but after Lithgow changed his mind, the Ryan Koenig role was written for Armisen. Ed Helms was cast as Derek Smeath but scheduling conflicts prevented him from taking the role. He shot the Garret role in one day.

Filming took place in New York, Connecticut, and Florida from January to May 2008.[4][5] To change the ending to be more sympathetic to audiences during a time of recession, re-shoots took place in New York City on November 24 and 28, 2008.[6]

Production on the film also included creating a group of faux upscale brand stores at the base of the Hearst Tower. Present were brands such as Valentino, Anna Sui, Catherine Malandrino and Alberta Ferretti. Several of the costumes were from the collection of French couture designer Gilles Montezin.[7]

Reception[edit]

Confessions of a Shopaholic received generally negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval score of 27% based on 171 reviews, with an average score of 4.40/10. The site's consensus reads: "This middling romantic comedy underutilizes a talented cast and delivers muddled messages on materialism and conspicuous consumption."[8] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film holds an average score of 38 based on 30 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[9]

Isla Fisher's performance generated good reviews and she was nominated for Choice Movie Actress: Comedy at the Teen Choice Awards 2009, but she lost to Anne Hathaway for Bride Wars. The film itself was also nominated for Choice Movie: Romance but lost to Twilight.

On its opening weekend without Presidents' Day, the film opened #4 behind Taken, He's Just Not That Into You, and Friday the 13th grossing $15,054,000 in 2,507 theaters with a $6,005 average.[10] As of May 22, 2009, the film grossed $44,277,350 at the domestic box office, while its worldwide box office is $106,904,619.[11]

Home media[edit]

The film was released by Touchstone Home Entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray on June 23, 2009 in North America and in Australia on August 5, 2009, and on Disney+ on September 17, 2021.

Soundtrack[edit]

Confessions of a Shopaholic
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedFebruary 17, 2009
Recorded2008
Genre
Length46:44
LabelHollywood

The soundtrack of Confessions of a Shopaholic was released on February 17, 2009 under Hollywood Records.[12] However, an alternate track listing was posted on Tommy2.net on January 25, 2009.[13] In the alternate track listing, Adrienne Bailon also sing "Big Spender" instead of Girlicious, and the Pussycat Dolls sing "Bad Girl" instead of Rihanna featuring Chris Brown. In addition, Ric Ocasek is said to sing "Emotion in Motion" instead, and "Music of the Sun" by Rihanna has been replaced by "Calling You" by Kat DeLuna. Shontelle sings "Stuck with Each Other" with Akon for the soundtrack, Lady Gaga's "Fashion" was also in the soundtrack.

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
No.TitleWriter(s)PerformerLength
1."Accessory"
Jordyn Taylor3:06
2."Fashion"
Lady Gaga2:51
3."Blue Jeans"
  • Jessie James
  • Julian Bunetta
Jessie James and the Odd Balls3:56
4."Uncontrollable"
Adrienne Bailon3:30
5."Calling You"
  • RedOne
  • Frankie Storm
  • Kat DeLuna
Kat DeLuna3:20
6."Stuck with Each Other"Diane WarrenShontelle feat. Akon3:20
7."Unstoppable"Kat DeLuna3:49
8."Big Spender"Adrienne Bailon3:49
9."Bad Girl"
The Pussycat Dolls2:27
10."Again"Natasha Bedingfield3:57
11."Takes Time to Love"
  • Dean
  • Brown
  • Jones
  • Dalton
  • Taylor
Trey Songz2:45
12."Girls Just Want to Have Fun"Robert HazardGreg Laswell2:37
13."Don't Forget Me"Harry NilssonMacy Gray2:37
14."Shopaholic Suite"James Newton HowardJames Newton Howard4:40
Total length:46:44

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)". The Wrap. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  2. ^ Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  3. ^ Full cast and crew for 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' (2009). IMDb. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  4. ^ Kit, Borys (March 12, 2008). "Five more for Shopaholic". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved April 25, 2008.
  5. ^ Box office / business for 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' (2009). IMDb. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  6. ^ "Luxury Shame | Print Article | Newsweek.com". Newsweek. December 5, 2008. Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  7. ^ Kristin (February 17, 2009). "Fashion Week - I met Gilles Montezin!". The Clothes Coach. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  8. ^ Confessions of a Shopaholic Movie Reviews, Pictures. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  9. ^ Confessions of a Shopaholic Reviews, Ratings, Credits. Metacritic. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
  10. ^ "Weekend Box Office for February 13-15, 2009". Box Office Mojo. February 15, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2009.
  11. ^ "Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)". The Numbers. June 22, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  12. ^ "Confessions of a Shopaholic". Amazon.com. February 17, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2009.
  13. ^ "Tommy2.net". January 25, 2009. Retrieved June 12, 2009.

External links[edit]