Fab Flick Friday: Confessions of a Shopaholic

For many, Memorial Day means a long weekend spent firing up the grill. For some, it means something else:

Big sales.

In honor of that tradition, today’s Fab Flick Friday pick is Confessions of a Shopaholic – one of my favorite movies, based on one of my favorite books, involving one of my favorite activities.

When Sophie Kinsella first introduced Becky Bloomwood with her Shopaholic series ten years ago, I felt like I had finally found a heroine I could totally relate to. (Which is a little alarming, if you know Becky Bloomwood.) The books are hilarious, smart, and packed with characters you can immediately fall in love with. (Especially that hunky Luke Brandon, hubba hubba.) When the first novel was adapted into a film in 2009, some elements were changed (for instance, Becky was no longer a Londoner, but an American girl living in New York), but the spirit of the books remained the same, and for that reason, Confessions of a Shopaholic is a sheer delight.

Confessions stars Isla Fisher as Becky – or, “The Girl in the Green Scarf” – a journalist who finds herself working at Successful Saving magazine, despite the massive amounts of debt she has accumulated due to her compulsive shopping addiction. Fisher is brilliant when it comes to bringing Becky’s I Love Lucy-esque antics to the screen, whether she is lying about her Great Aunt Ermintrude’s sky diving accident, “padding her resume” with fibs about speaking Finnish, or serving food at a party she is supposed to be a guest at, after being confused for a waitress. No other actress could have brought the Becky that fans know and love to life more perfectly.

And, of course, for every Lucy there must be a Ricky – and Hugh Dancy is flawless as Becky’s straight man and love interest, Luke Brandon. He’s charming, delicious, and instead of coming off as a stern grump, he portrays Luke as baffled, intrigued, and completely smitten with the one-of-a-kind Miss Bloomwood. It is impossible not to love these two – especially watching the side-splitting dance when Becky tries to be sexy and smacks Luke across the face with a paper fan.

Naturally, the fashion in Confessions of a Shopaholic isn’t too shabby either. In fact, watching this movie does not leave me with a lesson about spending wisely. It makes me want to shop. Because the feeling that Becky gets when she goes into a store, and the desperate importance she places on a scarf? I get that. (Though I really don’t think this is the message I’m supposed to be taking away from the movie.)

Confessions of a Shopaholic is what every chick flick should be. It’s fun, funny, romantic, filled with lovable characters, and may bring a tear or two to your eye. It’s got a great soundtrack, it’s got Joan Cusack and John Goodman as Becky’s parents (who doesn’t love them?), and it’s got a crazy assortment of lies involving Finland. So whether you’re barbequing, taking a road trip, or simply relaxing this Memorial Day weekend, why not take 90 minutes and let Luke and Becks entertain you?

Chances are, if you do, you’ll want to make a quick pit stop at the mall. There’s nothing quite like a great summer scarf.