So, we're barely into 2009 and already we've had our share of women in love, lust, or some other sort of relationship that doesn't necessarily show the female gender in the most positive light. Bride Wars served up life-long friends who tore each other to pieces after accidently booking the same wedding date. New in Town found a corporate exec looking down her perky nose at the fine folks of Minnesota before ultimately realizing they are actually people – gasp! And then He's Just Not That Into You showed how women tend to be helpless and hopeless when it comes to matters of the heart.
That's a lot of female-driven films to enter theaters just six weeks into 2009. And of course that's not a bad thing – we women deserve to have Hollywood tune into the fact we will buy tickets to movies if they interest us. But we do deserve better than we've been offered thus far this year.
Of course Rebecca doesn't want to be working at a financial magazine – her dream job is writing for a high fashion magazine – but she takes Luke up on his job offer, despite the fact she's just about the worst person on the planet to be doling out advice on how to stay out of debt. Hounded by a debt collector she explains off by claiming he's an ex-boyfriend stalking her, and knowing all the while she's ill-equipped to dispense financial advice, Rebecca keeps up the pretense of being this 'tell it like it is but in simple terms a 12 year old could understand' guru while longing for a gig writing about fashion. And to complicate Rebecca's already mixed up life, she falls for her boss who has no idea she's $16,000 in debt.
The Story
Fisher plays the shopaholic, Rebecca Bloomwood, a vivacious young woman who hears the siren song of mannequins beckoning her to forget all else and succumb to the pleasures of purchasing designer togs. Rebecca goes deeply into debt but she can't help herself – she needs new dresses and boots and gloves and pants, etc. etc. etc - the problem being she doesn't have the financial means to support her habit. So, with an ever-rising stack of credit card bills the elephant in the room she's trying her best to ignore, Rebecca loses her job as a journalist at an outdoor magazine. But never fear – the handsome, serious-minded Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy) hires her (without checking her background) to write an advice column for his fledgling financial magazine which is struggling to establish its own identity.
'Confessions of a Shopaholic'
Now, opening over Valentine's Day weekend, comes Confessions of a Shopaholic. Based on the bestselling books by Sophie Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic is out of touch with the current financial market and the overall state of the economy. I can't imagine many moviegoers nowadays breaking out in a "You go, girl," chorus as the film's lead character spends, spends, spends without thinking of the consequences. There is sort of a 'credit is bad, don't spend above your limits' lesson in Confessions of a Shopaholic – if you turn your head sideways and squint a little. But in many other ways, Confessions of a Shopaholic actually promotes buying pretty, sparkly items because buying new things makes one a happy person.
There's undeniably a mixed message spouted by this romantic comedy, yet if we are being totally honest with ourselves, not many of us go to the movies (in particular, to a romantic comedy) to learn important life lessons. We go to be entertained, and Confessions of a Shopaholic is entertaining - mostly thanks to the adorable Isla Fisher who could be this generation's Lucille Ball.
