Grade: B-
Marked by stiletto heels, tapioca pudding and a frozen ice land, New in Town, starring Ren?(c)e Zellweger (Appaloosa) and Harry Connick Jr. (Living Proof), proves to be more than just a "chick flick."
The movie begins in sunny Miami, where Lucy Hill (Zellweger) has it all.
An aspiring CEO for a food-processing company, Lucy is all business as she agrees to head operations to lay off workers in an underperforming factory in New Ulm, Minn.
When Hill arrives in the tundra wearing 5-inch heels and a skirt, she trudges through the snow and is greeted by tapioca pudding extraordinaire and true Minnesotan Blanche Gunderson (Siobhan Fallon, Baby Mama).
Fallon gives a believable performance, albeit a little corny, faking a Minnesota accent with every line.
Her accent becomes overkill with the overabundance of "okey-dokeys," sporting mannerisms only a sweet woman wearing colorful flower embroidered sweatshirts and offering home cooking could display.
Zellweger's version of Lucy as a successful woman/independent working corporate employee comes across very well and empowering for women.
She brings plenty of charisma to the character, along with an edginess that goes beyond Hill's piercing glances.
Ted Mitchell (Connick Jr.) is the local representative of the union, working in close contact with Lucy as changes at the plant begin.
Dressed in Carhartts with a wild beard, Ted becomes the yin to Lucy's yang.
One of the key attractions to the film is Connick Jr., who looks as though he just crawled out of the woods after a 4-month camping trip.
Nonetheless, he is still the most attractive-looking lumberjack moviegoers have seen in a while.
When Lucy has trouble navigating the ice-slicked roads in an effort to spare a cow's life, she ends up in a snow bank with a blizzard looming in the distance. With nothing to do but wait, Lucy breaks out the wine.
Ted finds Lucy drunk a few hours later, rescuing her from her ice chest. Soon their love blossoms as working tycoon and widowed father fall in love.
Unfortunately, Connick and Zellweger's love is missing the sort of connection that is vital in a romantic comedy. The romance is hard to believe and lacks any real ice-melting heat.
A small plot hole in the film is the fact that this huge factory transformation is barely included in the movie.
Four weeks does not seem like enough time to turn any factory around, let alone a small factory with a secret tapioca recipe from a woman wearing a bird sweatshirt.
In a heart-warming display of families and friends, New in Town sends a positive message to all by reminding viewers of the hard economic times and the importance of keeping special people close.
While the plot of the film is not overly complicated, nor do Connick and Zellweger produce Oscar-worthy performances, New in Town ranks well in the long list of chick-flicks before it.
New in Town is certainly an easy, feel-good movie that will leave viewers with a smile on their face and perhaps the fleeting hope for love from Connick Jr. and his well-groomed beard.
