By: debbie lynn elias
When Sophie Kinsella’s most entertaining novel “Confessions of a Shopaholic” hit bookstores several years ago, I ran to grab my copy. After all, I had grown up with the queen of shopaholism – my mother (if it comes in 10 colors, buy all 10 colors and then accessories, jewelry, shoes and handbags to match – and all from the “elitest” stores in Center City Philadelphia or on the Main Line, the Prada and Gucci of her generation. The woman even had a shoe wall with some 400 pairs of shoes at its peak. And based on stories of her youth, compounded by what I saw and knew, I think she was the poster child for the term.) Capturing the very essence and intimate details of this well known concept, I was completely enamored with Kinsella’s story which embraced today’s obsession with youth, beauty, fashion and shopping with the glorious use of seemingly endless credit. The book was like a fairy tale for shoppers everywhere but it went a step further, with an actual message and a balance of characters that reflected the good, the bad and the ugly of this “disease”, with a little romance and fun thrown in for good measure. But my greater joy came when I learned that the book (now a series) was being made into a film and that PJ Hogan would be directing. Showing the strength of Kinsella’s material and characters, Jerry Bruckheimer, master of testosterone, action adventure and intrigue, even stepped into this new territory of romantic comedy as producer. It seemed inevitable that with Hogan, a master of comedy, romance and let’s face it – fun – as evidenced by “Muriel’s Wedding” and “My Best Friend’s Wedding”, as director, Bruckheimer as a producer, a dream cast and the incredible talents of costume designer Patricia Field and Kristi Zea’s production design, CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC would not only be a visual delight but fun-filled. And now, after screening the film, I have to say, the end result exceeds my expectations and anticipation. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC is a kaleidoscopic confection of comedy and couture on credit.
Rebecca Bloomwood is your average 20-something wanting to make her mark in the world. A wannabe journalist, she has her sights, and her wallet, set on fashion – wearing it, buying it, writing about it. Problem is, she can’t get her dream job because she has no experience and she doesn’t want to compromise her dream and settle for anything less than what she wants. (Just like in her shopping). Bigger problem is she has no job but thanks to her spending habits, has credit card debt up the wazoo. But, for Rebecca, it seems things always have a way of working out. And this time it all starts with an alcohol-inspired evening with her best friend and roommate Suze. Intent on helping Becky with her shopping problem, Suze intervenes. Intent on helping Becky land a job, Suze intervenes. And thanks to some inebriated writing and a comedy of mailing errors, Becky does land a job – writing for a financial magazine. The irony of that alone is enough to fill you with snickers and giggles. The good news though is that the financial magazine is owned by the same company that owns Alette, the fashion magazine for whom Becky wants to work. But for Becky, the best news, although herself blind to it, is an editor who sees talent and heart behind her shopaholic fashion-oriented ways. . .and he looks mighty fine to boot.
Serendipitous comedic adventure presents itself at every turn as Becky forges ahead in the world, making a name for herself as “The Girl With the Green Scarf”, winning fans, friends and notoriety but hitting a few bargain basement stumbling blocks along the way that may cost her more than any piece of couture. And hot on her heels is the every present debt collector.
The casting of this film is impeccable. Isla Fisher, whose talents I greatly admire (just check her out in Scott Frank’s “The Lookout”), is adorable as Rebecca Bloomwood. Her bouncy, perky, spunky, doe-eyed innocence illuminates the screen and creates a great affectation for the character. But then Fisher zings you with an air of authority and intelligence that is the perfect balance to the “fluff.” I said this story was like a fairy tale, so who better to play Becky Bloomwood’s “prince” than a former Prince Charming, Hugh Dancy. As Becky’s boss Luke Brandon, Dancy has a natural ease and charm about him that is welcoming, disarming and adds a warmth to his character and every scene. His chemistry with Fisher is undeniable and never moreso than in a semi-ad-libbed dance scene set in Palm Beach, Florida. And yes folks, the “creativity” of the dance moves by Fisher is all her. Krysten Ritter is an explosion of joyous effervescence as Becky’s best friend and conscience, Suze. A fan of the “Shopaholic” books before even being considered for the film, this role is a labor of love and it shows in her performance.
The free gift with purchase in this film is the supporting cast. According to PJ Hogan, “I was very lucky.” John Goodman and Joan Cusack are perfect as Becky’s frugal, thrift store shopping parents. They provide a grounding and sensibility to the story that keeps it from flying into the clouds of Never Never Land. “[They] were my first choices for their parts and it’s not often a director gets his first choice. Luckily, they responded to the material and said yes.” For me, one of the most inspired casting choices is Wendie Malick. Best known for her role as over-the-hill-has-been but always a fashion icon model, Nina Van Horn, from “Just Shoot Me”, as Shopaholics Anonymous group leader Miss Korch, she is the antithesis of Nina and an absolute riot. For Hogan, “I just love Wendie Malick. I am a big fan of her work.” Key to other signature casting of Kristin Scott Thomas (who is deliciously over the top as magazine editor Alette), John Lithgow and Leslie Bibb, is Hogan himself. “I am a director who encourages invention. I like to cast good people and then let them do their thing. Wendie, Kristin Scott Thomas, John Lithgow – I am open to ideas and your take on the part. That’s one of the reasons that they agreed to do the roles. I was offering a collaboration.” When it comes to Kristin Scott Thomas, the admiration is mutual as “PJ allows you to be quite brave.” And keep your eyes peeled for a hysterical cameo by Lynn Redgrave, who has now appeared in 3 of Hogan’s films. She will have you in stitches.
I asked Kinsella about the genesis of “Shopaholic”. “I was actually in a shop when the idea came to me. The initial inspiration was the VISA bill scene which appears in the movie. It was the beginning of her character. I could see the comedy of shopping. This character came into my head as a girl who shops too much and all the situations she could get into. I just had so much fun with it that I just couldn’t stop.” And although Kinsella was present on the set, it fell to Tracey Jackson, Kayla Alpert and Tim Firth to adapt the novel(s) to the big screen, the first challenge of which was moving the setting from London to New York. As it happens, book two is “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan” which allowed elements of that book to be tied into this story. Characters remain true to the novel but thanks to Hogan’s direction and the visual design elements of Patricia Fields and Kristi Zea, are now larger than life, more connectable, touchable.
As for the script itself, Hogan candidly admits there was “a lot of ad-libbing, a lot of changing. I am a big believer, particularly with comedy, keeping things fresh and alive in front of the camera. I like to improvise when I work but only if my scene is strong. If an idea takes off, you have a better scene. You have a scene that feels alive and has a fluidity.”
Key to SHOPAHOLIC are the locations and the clothes. There is no one better in couture costuming than Patricia Field and no better production designer for a New York setting than Kristi Zea. And although one might think boutiques and stores like Saks, Catherine Malandrino, Barney’s and Bendel’s would jump at the chance to have their stores featured in the film, such wasn’t the case (although each of these is prominently featured.) As PJ Hogan described it to me, “There’s a courtship involved. We had one big advantage and that was the books. In one of the books, I think “Shopaholic Takes Manhattan”, Sophie [Kinsella] actually set a sequence in Barney’s. So Barney’s knew the books well because they were in the books. Some stores did not want to be associated with a film about shopaholism and some stores had a great sense of humor about it. Usually if the people who made decisions had read the books, they were on, because they knew how much fun the books were. If they hadn’t read the books, they were a little scared of the title, I think. Shopaholism. Credit Cards.”
And while there are a few sluggish scenes, they are not that noticable thanks to the eye-popping confectionary fashion pallettes that keep your senses stimulated and characters and dialogue that are fueled with irony, double-entendres, comedy and heart.
As for PJ Hogan’s wish for this film, “I would like the audience to just have a really good time. We’re in a time where we need a laugh. I think the subject matter speaks for itself. That’s what drew me to the story. I’ve been in trouble with finances. I bought things that I couldn’t afford. But what I loved about the books was that it acknowledged all of that, offered hope and also gave you a really good time. I try to make films that I myself would like to see and right now in my life, I wanted a good time. I want people to forget about their troubles and have a good time. Have a laugh.”
CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will make you glad those credit card bills are Becky Bloomwood’s and not yours.
Rebecca Bloomwood – Isla Fisher Luke Brandon – Hugh Dancy Suze – Krysten Ritter
Directed by PJ Hogan. Written by Tracey Jackson, Kayla Alpert and Tim Firth based on the books “Confession of a Shopaholic” by Sophie Kinsella.
