NEW IN TOWN — ★½ — Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., Siobhan Fallon Hogan; rated PG-13 (vulgarity, violence, profanity, slurs, brief drugs); in general release
"New in Town" has tapioca on the brain. Seriously.
This hackneyed, fish-out-of-water comedy doles out so many jokes about the pudding dessert that you'd swear it was underwritten by the Tapioca Producers of America — if there even is such an organization.
And when it's not doing that, the film is dishing up the expected, tiresome Midwestern stereotypes, unsuccessful attempts at current economic climate commentary and some less-than-fresh romantic comedy conventions.
That might not be such a painful comic recipe if the film wasn't a vehicle for actress Renee Zellweger, whose performances these days mostly consist of her squinting her eyes and pursing her lips. But that exaggerated expression isn't as cute as she probably thinks it is. In fact, it's pretty annoying.
Zellweger stars as Lucy Hill, a Miami executive who's been sent to New Ulm, Minn., for some "corporate restructuring" on a food manufacturing plant out there.
The job requires her to assess the operations and to lay off as much as 50 percent of the work force.
However, the seemingly clueless residents, including Blanche Gunderson (Siobhan Fallon Hogan), are as sweet as can be to this newcomer. They even try to set her up with widower Ted Mitchell (Harry Connick Jr.).
Ironically, he's the union representative she's supposed to be meeting to discuss the work force reductions. And their first meeting hasn't gone particularly well.
Projects like the television program "Northern Exposure" show that this kind of thing can work. At least when they're doing intelligently.
But this dumb comedy is far from intelligent. For example, we're supposed to believe that Lucy is so wholly unprepared for her new surroundings that she thinks she can walk around on ice in high heels?
And Zellweger doesn't look thrilled with what she's doing. Meanwhile, Connick really tries to sell us on their burgeoning romance, with mostly unsuccessful results.
(Also, J.K. Simmons and Frances Conroy are misused in go-nowhere supporting roles.)"New in Town" is rated PG-13 for vulgar humor and suggestive references (relating to bodily functions and body parts), mostly comic violence (pratfalls, as well as some vehicular mayhem and hunting violence, including an accidental shooting), scattered profanity, derogatory language and slurs, and some brief drug references. Running time: 96 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com