The movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic” is based on the book by the same name, by author Sophie Kinsella, but the movie changes the book’s plot considerably, while still maintaining the basic idea. Isla Fisher (”Wedding Crashers”) plays Becky Bloomwood, a young, single gal who loves to shop. Walking into a store is like walking into a holy place for Becky, and if the clothes are on sale, even better.

Unfortunately, what she doesn’t like doing is opening her credit card bills and paying them. Her roommate Suze (Krysten Ritter of TV’s “Breaking Bad”) helps her out by not cashing her rent checks, but when bill collector Derek Smeath (character actor Robert Stanton) begins pursuing Rebecca with a vengeance, she realizes she’d better start paying her bills.

Her dream is to work for  fashion magazine Alette, but she takes a job at another magazine published by the same company, a magazine with the ironic name “Successful Saving”.  There she meets ultra-suave Luke Brandon (British actor Hugh Dancy), who offers her a job.  Becky? Writing about saving money? Hilarity definitely ensues. But if you are a fan of the books, keep in mind, this movie does not follow the plot of the book really at all.

The day of Becky’s job interview, she stops at a store first and finds a beautiful green scarf, which she decides is an “important scarf”. This scarf, she rationalizes, will be what sets her apart. She will be the Girl in the Green Scarf. That scarf will, in fact, play a very important role in the movie.

Other parts in the movie are played by Joan Cusack, John Goodman, Leslie Bibb, John Lithgow, Fred Armisen, Lynn Redgrave, and Kristin Scott Thomas.

The Blu-Ray edition has two discs plus a digital copy.  The bonus features, which are also on the standard DVD, are Bloopers, Deleted scenes, and the music video “Stuck With Each Other” by Shontelle featuring Akon. Special Blu-Ray features include two more music videos and a Behind-the-scenes featurette about the wardrobe (designed by Sex and the City designer Patricia Field) and New York Fashion.

Thanks to Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, I have these exclusive Fun Facts to share with you about the making of this movie!

• **The film shot inside of some of the most exclusive stores and boutiques in New York, including Barneys New York flagship store on Madison Avenue, Henri Bendel on Fifth Avenue, Scoop and Catherine Malandrino in the Meat Packing District, Alessi (upscale housewares) in Soho, and Kleinfeld (elaborate bridal shop) in Chelsea.

• **The film also shot inside some of the most historic buildings in the city, including legendary British architect Lord Norman Foster’s Hearst Tower (the only film to ever be allowed to shoot there) on 57th Street and 8th Avenue; 45 Rockefeller Center (the building that features the statue of Atlas holding up the world at its entrance); the Grand Salon inside of the 1931 Jumeirah Essex House hotel on Central Park South; inside and out of St. James Church (1884) on Madison Avenue between 71st and 72nd Streets; inside of the Beaux Arts and Art Nouveau styled Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank Building (1908-12) on Chambers Street in the Wall Street district; utilizing the exterior of St. Anthony of Padua on Sullivan Street at the intersection of Greenwich Village, Tribeca and Soho, founded in 1866.

• **In the film, costume designer Patricia Field selected clothing and accessories to adorn Isla Fisher’s Becky Bloomwood, including Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen, Zac Posen, Miu Miu, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada, Christian Dior, Todd Oldham, Gucci and Matthew Williamson, among others.

• **Sophie Kinsella was on the “Confessions of a Shopaholic” set nearly every day as associate producer, consulting and watching her beloved creation of Rebecca Bloomwood come to life. Not so coincidentally considering the massive international sales of the “Shopaholic” novels, Kinsella was often approached by excited fans on New York, Connecticut and Miami locations as if she were more of a movie star than an author.

Rent or buy Confessions of a Shopaholic on Blu-Ray or DVD today. Tell me in a comment what you thought of the movie if you already saw it!

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• Confessions of a Shopaholic: Relic of an Economy Past (time.com)
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• Confessions of a Shopaholic: stylist Patricia Field dresses actress Isla Fisher (telegraph.co.uk)

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