Let me start by saying that I read this book, and I loved it.  It was funny and smart, and kept you interested.   I was so looking forward to seeing this movie (especially since I had heard from friends that it was good!).

But Lord Almighty, I hated Confessions of a Shopoholic.  I hated it SO much.  I go and see these kinds of movies for a good laugh, a break from the realities of everyday life.  I found this movie so stupid – it was insulting.  I can only compare this to The Devil Wears Prada, and I loved that movie.  In TDWP, the clothes were fun to watch, the writing was smart and original.  In Shopoholic the clothes were bright – sure – but ugly as all hell. I mean look at the coat above.  How many muppets were killed in the making of that horrible coat!

The writing was so desperate.  I swear I’ve heard half the lines in this movie about a dozen times in other – better movies. And there was absolutely ZERO chemistry between Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.  The final scene of the movie is them kissing, and it’s just awkward to watch.  They obviously had no chemistry, and it was uncomfortable to look at. I love both of them, and they’re capable of SO much more.  I want to believe that the movie isn’t terrible because of them.  It’s not their fault the whole movie is a train wreck.

It was so full of cliche’s – and not even good cliche’s.  The talking mannequins were beyond stupid.  I can’t believe that Isla Fisher made this terrible movie. When the first mannequin talked in the beginning movie, I should have gotten up and gotten my money back.  The movie went from bad to worse at that point.

I feel like I should reimburse my sister and my cousin, because I picked the movie.  My sister, who only gets out to the movies about twice a year, was hating me when the credits rolled.  Before we had even left our seats, all three of us were going off on how terrible the movie was.  I hate it when I pay $9.00 (plus popcorn) for a crappy movie!

I now turn to USA Today, who puts this movie into words better than I could.

Confessions of a Shopaholic is like a sale item that catches your eye simply because of its garish color, atrocious style and startling uselessness.

Not only is it an unfunny movie shrilly told, it probably is the most ill-timed and appallingly insulting movie in recent memory.

How could any studio be so out of touch as to release a movie glorifying the compulsive shopping habits of an air-headed spendthrift during this dismal state in the global economy?

Besides its insensitivity, it bombards us, like a too-cluttered closet, with a clueless heroine, laugh-repellant slapstick shtick and an unconvincing by-the-numbers romance.

Where The Devil Wears Prada, with its flurry of couture, might have filled fashionistas with longing, Shopaholic makes you want to renounce every item in your wardrobe. Perhaps it is actually director P.J. Hogan’s subversively clever ploy to make spending look revolting and turn even the most die-hard shoppers into ascetics.

This brainless chick flick reinforces the worst female stereotypes. Trying to disguise itself as a cautionary tale on the perils of conspicuous consumption, it fixates so much on materialistic cravings that it ends up doing just the opposite.

Bottom Line: Save your money, and go rent The Devil Wears Prada.  It’s much better, and cheaper!  If you go see Shopoholic, don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 at 8:54 am and is filed under Jocelyn's Space, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.