Confessions of a Shopaholic: Isla Fisher’s cute romcom worth going out with | Video

TIt was the year 2009. The world economy was enduring the worst economic crisis since the Second World War and Isla Fisherwearing an American accent and a shopping habit, he played an illiterate New Yorker with more than $16,000 in debt; The auburn-haired Marie Antoinette of yesteryear.

Confessions of a Shopaholic was given a about two stars and this output when it was released. The film, based on Sophie Kinsella’s novel of the same name and directed by Australian filmmaker PJ Hogan, was doomed from the start. Budget-conscious audiences didn’t really bother to watch a plucky actor make bad decisions for 104 minutes. It was also like romcoms’. box office authority it was coming to an end, replaced by a new era of no-nonsense and action-packed superheroes. But while Confessions of a Shopaholic isn’t great, it’s entertaining now – and arguably ahead of its time in relation to its show’s many credits.

The plot of the film is simple enough: Rebecca (Fisher) is a wealthy, money-loving single girl kicking around in the Big Apple, dreaming of working for a fashion magazine. She is supported by her angel of a best friend, Suze (Krysten Ritter), and her parents (Joan Cusack and John Goodman), whose hyper-frugality unwittingly triggered Rebecca’s shopping habits. All the while, Rebecca is dodging a Javert-esque debt collector, Derek Smeath (Robert Stanton).

Ironically, Rebecca has become a financial advice writer – under the guidance of “The Girl in Green” – and, apparently, is loved by her handsome boss-turned-boyfriend Luke (Hugh Dancy). There is also a beautiful antagonist of this love story (Leslie Bibb) – because every romcom protagonist they should have an enemy of a different hair color.

Rebecca herself makes for an odd romcom protagonist: she’s got the bones of Carrie Bradshaw’s weirdness and good looks, and the lovable cringe of Kimmy Schmidt. It also feels like the film can’t decide whether it wants to revel in its campy sentiments or ask the audience to sympathize with its subject; it is not saccharine and it is not concentrated. There are talking mannequins, similar to sirens, luring Rebecca to spend more money and art – but there is also a big fight between Rebecca and Suze that is more painful than anything about a man.

But for little girls, including me, Confessions of a Shopaholic introduced a bittersweet fantasy into our curious little lives: the lure of working in the glamorous world of print. It is no secret that journalism is one of the the top job is chosen for women in romcoms and the 2000s are especially full of them: 30 Suddenly, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Devil Wears Prada and Bridget Jones Diary, among others. Each of these may have inspired future journos but it was Confessions of a Shopaholic that made the profession stand out. entertainment. Although chaotic, full of layoffs and full of discrimination (again, before its time!)

And his warning about racking up thousands of dollars in credit card debt is sound and relevant today: gen Z and millennials have some of the high quality loans compared to previous generations, more comes from the availability of buy now, pay later work. One can easily imagine the Rebecca of today, stalking the Instagram profiles of her admirers and shopping for the most expensive clothes on Depop. The Devil Wears Prada has a sequel this year – but if there’s a noughties romcom set in the media and fashion world that needs a sequel, it’s this one.

Shopaholic’s confession is not as popular as his peers, which is a shame but understandable. It may not have the polish of The Devil Wears Prada or the timeless charm of Bridget Jones Diary but it’s just as good and more relevant now than when it was released. And even if classic comedies (slightly) aren’t your thing, Fisher’s superb costumes make it worth rewatching.

• Confessions of a Shopaholic is available to stream via Disney+ in Australia, the UK and the US. Find out more about what to do in Australia Here