CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (PG.

Comedy/Romance. Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Leslie Bibb, John Goodman, Joan Cusack, Kristin Scott Thomas, Robert Stanton. Director: PJ Hogan.

CONFESSSIONS Of A Shopaholic is the right film in the right place at the wrong time.

With credit well and truly crunched, it’s hard to muster sympathy for a romantic comedy heroine who is undone by her passion for shopping.

She juggles 12 credit cards, racking up debt, yet somehow still clings on to her apartment, her dream job, Mr Right and the love of family and friends.

The message of PJ Hogan's movie is simple: greed is bad, but will never get in the way of a beautiful young woman getting her fairy-tale ending.

Adapted from the books The Secret Dreamworld Of A Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad by Sophie Kinsella, this bouncy romp follows one fun-loving girl’s journey of self-discovery in New York City, where designer living is always one swipe of a credit card away.

Rebecca Bloomwood (Fisher) is a journalist with a singular dream: to work for fashion bible Alette and its ultra-stylish French editor, Alette Naylor (Thomas).

Unfortunately, the job she wants is nabbed by bitchy staffer Alicia Billington (Bibb) so Rebecca decides to climb the corporate ladder by landing a job instead at sister magazine, Successful Saving, under the new direction of charismatic editor, Luke Brandon (Dancy).

Rebecca’s quirky interpretation of financial journalism in a column entitled The Girl With The Green Scarf is like a breath of fresh air and the magazine’s stagnant sales sky rocket.

However, there is a dark secret, which Rebecca is keeping from Luke, her colleagues and even her parents (Goodman, Cusack) – she is a shopaholic.

The situation is so desperate, debt collector Derek Smeath (Stanton) has been hired.

Rebecca spins a web of lies to hide the truth, but Smeath slowly closes in on his prey.

Confessions Of A Shopaholic is an entertaining piece of fluff. Fisher oozes sweetness and charm and demonstrates impeccable comic timing, especially in a dance floor sequence where her hilarious, virtuoso performance with a handheld fan has to be seen to be disbelieved.

Hogan’s film doesn’t outstay its welcome and as long as Isla is on screen, we’re happy to be sold this cheap and cheerful fantasy.