As well as this being a film review I’m also going to compare it to the novel of the same name. This review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS if you haven’t read the book OR seen the movie.

****WHAT THE FILM IS ABOUT*****

Based on the novel of the same name Confessions of a Shopaholic tells the story of Becky Bloomwood who is a college grad lands a job as a financial journalist in New York City to support where she nurtures her shopping addiction and falls for a wealthy entrepreneur.

*****WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT***** - See my review here!

The books synopsis says: Meet Rebecca Bloomwood. She’s a journalist. She spends her working life telling others how to manage their money. She spends her leisure time …shopping. Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can’t. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work. The stories she concocts become more and more fantastic as she tries to untangle her increasingly dire financial difficulties. Her only comfort is to buy herself something - just a little something …Can Becky ever escape from this dream world, find true love, and regain the use of her Switch card?

*****THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOOK AND FILM*****

I have to point out that the film seems to be a mix of Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad.

The differences between the book and the film are as follows:

** Nationality difference - in the book Becky and co. are British, living in Britain and in the film Becky and co. (bar Luke) are American living in NY.

**In the book Luke Brandon owns a PR company and in the film Luke is editor of a magazine.

**In the book Becky works for Successful Savings and meets Luke at a press conference at Brandon Communications and in the film she works for Luke who is editor at Successful Savings.

**Derek Smeath is a bank manager in the book but is a debt collector in the film.

**She and Luke go head-to-head on TV regarding an investment company in the book and in the film they go on TV together regarding Rebecca’s position as financial guru.

**There are no Shopaholic Anonymous meetings in the book but they are a part of the film.

**Luke knows about fashion in the film yet there’s no mention of that in the book.

**Referring to Becky as an only child in the film when we know in Shopaholic & Sister that she has a sister.

*****SIMILARITIES*****
There are plenty of similarities including:

**The Denny & George scarf and Luke giving Becky 20$ to buy it.

**Becky speaking Finnish

**All characters are present: Becky’s mum & dad, Suze, Luke, Tarquin, Derek Smeath and even Alicia.

**The sale at the end is the same as the scene in Shopaholic Abroad where Luke buys the Denny & George scarf.

**Becky trying to curb her spending by decluttering but actually packing it into her wardrobe.

*****MY THOUGHTS*****

It’s always difficult for me to review a film when it’s been made from a novel I would put in my Top 10 Books Of All Time. The book really was that good, really was that witty and really was that well written.

I thought Isla Fisher was a good casting in the role of Becky Bloomwood and thought she pulled it off perfectly. However what annoyed me personally was she slipped into her Australian accent a few times which was incredibly irritating. Obviously her American accent isn’t her own so it’s not her fault if some of her Aussie slips in - it just irritated me.

As much as I liked Hugh Dancy as Luke I would have chosen someone else for the role. I don’t know who I would have cast though, I just saw Luke as someone a bit intimidating and Luke-ish.

I liked Joan Cusack as Becky’s mother and John Goodman as Becky’s dad but would have liked to know who they would have cast had the film actually been set in Britain. Julie Walters may have made a good Jane Bloomwood.

I loved Kristin Ritter as Suze - she was really great in that role. I also thought the casting of Derek Smeath was perfect - scary and smarmy - Robert Stanton was a great Derek Smeath.

I also thought the casting of Alicia was great - she was a minor character until Shopaholic Abroad so I’m glad she wasn’t forgotten.

Although I didn’t think Confessions was as good as PS I Love You I did enjoy it and I did laugh out loud a few times. Particularly at the Finnish scene and at Becky trying to get the credit card out of the ice block.

Overall though it wasn’t as good as the novel - it IS always difficult to fit everything from a novel into the film - but it is an enjoyable way to spend an hour and 45 minutes.

RATING: 3/5

*****CAST*****
Isla Fisher as Becky Bloomwood
Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon
Kristin Ritter as Suze
Joan Kusack as Jane Bloomwood
John Goodman as Graham Bloomwood
Robert Stanton as Derek Smeath
Leslie Bibb as Alicia
Kristin Scott Thomas as Alette Naylor

Tags: Movie Review, sophie kinsella

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