Confessions of a Shopaholic was not a movie I would have rushed to see in theaters back in 2009. However, I’ve heard about it for a very long time and was curious why it stayed so well-known. It seemed like a lighthearted film marketed mostly toward women, but there was something special about it. It’s based on a book series that never received a movie sequel adaptation, yet it tells a complete and satisfying story on its own.

The central character, Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher), is a woman struggling with a serious shopping addiction. It’s not the things themselves that make her happyzit’s the act of buying. The rush of adding more debt to her credit card, that releases her endorphins. Still, she convinces herself that it’s the possessions that bring her joy.

Her financial troubles spiral further out of control as a debt collector begins chasing her for a massive sum of money. Despite this, her dream is to work for a fashion magazine, which feels a bit outdated for a film set in 2009. A time when most print publications were already losing massive ground to the internet.

She ends up taking a job at a finance magazine as a stepping stone, since her dream position exists within the same company but at a different publication. However, she doesn’t fit in at all and constantly lies to cover up the fact that she’s completely unqualified for the role.

Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy) is her boss and is easily one of the best parts of the film. He’s her complete opposite in many ways, yet he has a soft spot for her, probably for the same reason my wife does too, with her beautiful face and lovely red hair.

This movie also features an early role for Krysten Ritter, just before her breakout performance in Breaking Bad. She plays Rebecca’s best friend, Suze Cleath-Stuart. While she’s not my favorite actress, I have to admit she’s been very fortunate in her career.

Confessions of a Shopaholic is a fun romantic comedy. It wouldn’t top my list alongside The Notebook or anything like that, but I enjoyed it for the most part. It can be a little silly and somewhat unrealistic at times, but I can understand why both the film and the books still have their fans today.