Confessions of a Shopaholic: Truth or Hollywood?

I admit it: I saw Confessions of a Shopaholic when it opened this weekend. I was interested to see the movie in part because the protagonist, a fashion-obsessed Manhattan spendthrift played by Isla Fisher, works as a journalist at a Money magazine clone. How accurate would the big-screen portrayal be? Read on for the Hollywood version -- and the reality. (Warning: Plot spoilers ahead.)

Hollywood: The money magazine's editor is a charming fellow with a British accent and a penchant for the kind of work apparel that attracts the scorn of our heroine.

Reality: Money Magazine's editor is a charming fellow with a Philadelphia accent and a penchant for clothing that is beyond reproach. No criticism here. Did I mention that he is charming?

Hollywood: At her interview for the job at the money magazine, our heroine gives an impassioned speech about the importance of "the fish crisis." The editor gently explains that it's actually a "fiscal" crisis. He gives her the job anyway.

Reality: How many stories about mackerel have you read in Money lately?

Hollywood: Our heroine interrupts the shareholders meeting of a Fortune 500 company to ask why the company's executives have paid themselves huge bonuses while leaving shareholders holding the bag. The CEO is stunned into silence.

Reality: Journalists ask CEOs why they pay themselves huge bonuses while leaving shareholders holding the bag. The CEOs shrug.

Hollywood: The CEO of a large bank bears an uncanny resemblance to Andy Serwer, the managing editor of Fortune Magazine.

Reality: Hey, the guy playing the CEO IS Andy! I know that guy!

Hollywood: The editor and our heroine become romantically entangled while she is in his employ.

Reality: I'm pretty sure there are rules against that.

--Beth Fenner