Nathalie and Jeremy are a professional married couple who live a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. He is a doctor with a promising future while she works as a shopping assistant in a high class clothes shop. Being up on the latest fashions and always helping others buy nice things, Nathalie likes to shop before going home regularly buying her daughter new things to let her know she cares. However as she uses purchases and the shine of new possessions as a substitute for happiness she finds herself sinking further into debt and losing touch with her family's financial reality.
Addiction in any form can be dangerous it is a clichéd saying but too much of anything is bad and it does have an element of truth to it. Commercialisation has hidden the addiction to spending as part of the normal way of life and credit card debt is now the norm rather than a problem. Men and women will indulge in retail therapy and buy the shiny new things referred to in the title and there is nothing wrong with this as long as we manage it. It is too easy to get used to living beyond our means and seeking the lifestyle of those richer or in magazines even if we have no feasible way of keeping it up. Although this film does touch on the "normal" aspect of this problem, the focus is on Nathalie who has had spending problems before and is starting to sink back into shopping after work, leaving her daughter with her mum. Although her spending is a disorder rather than a habit and is extreme within the film it still makes for an engaging cautionary tale about debt, spending and retail therapy.
The story has enough recognisable factors and Nathalie's disorder is only an extreme version of the norm, with the roots of it being things we can mostly recognise (most people feel better buying new stuff). The direction brings her compulsion out well and uses close shots and subtle camera movements to good effect but the real heart of the film is Hawkins' performance. She is convincing in her portrayal of the woman who swings emotionally and cannot stop herself falling into her habit. Although actions such as the pony and the Audi TT are extreme, she somehow carries it off it is an impressive performance. Mackintosh is good even though his character is a bit too weak in real life many partners will overlook spending but it was a hard sell that he would accept such extreme action from someone he knows struggles with it. Despite this he still works well and convinces with a timid character. Outside of these two the support is good (Nat's rich friend is strong in later moments) but the film is owned by Hawkins.
A very enjoyable and engaging BBC2 drama then that is serves as a relevant cautionary tale and also a good drama. The direction is good with close shots drawing the audience in but it is Hawkins' performance that makes the film so engaging she is convincing as she is driven along by her addiction in the constant pursuit of happiness which burns out as soon as the new things are out of their box.
