reviewed by Rissi C.
      

This is one of the few films I have gone to see knowing next to nothing about. All I knew was that it starred Renee Zellwege, the plot sounded adorable, and the mainstream critics hated it... and the use of “hate” is putting it mildly.

She’s an executive on the move … only it will end up being a little further north than she expected. With the title of vice president on the line top-notch executive Lucy Hill (Zellweger) reluctantly volunteers to be the lead exec in her dairy product companies newest round of plant lay-offs. What she doesn’t know is her boss wants her working very closely on this job. Much to Lucy’s surprise, she is sent directly to the freezing cold state of Minnesota, which to Lucy’s sophisticated style is not what she had in mind and feels more like the North Pole. With her fashionable high heels, numerous bags and a thin layer of clothes, Lucy heads north thinking, "How bad can it be?" On arrival, Lucy discovers just how dreadful the Minnesota weather is and after being grilled about her personal life by local busybody Blanche, Lucy is invited to her home for a home-cooked meal. What starts out as a terrible night quickly escalates into disaster after an argument ensues between Lucy and the single Ted Mitchell (Harry Coninck Jr.).

With her job on the line, mounting tensions among the local factory workers and a struggle to remain professional, this executive may have to re-think her strategy if she wants to walk away without a backward glance. Even though I knew little about this film going into it, it already had pros and cons. Before getting too far into my thoughts I do want to mention that I had previously heard this film described as “torture,” and that in my book is taking it a little too far. Yes, this kind of story has been made and re-made, but there is something about New in Town that makes it stand out. In fact, the way the story unfolded may be my favorite yet. I cannot quite put my finger on what it is about this delightful little movie that I loved, but it was infectious. From the screenplay to peculiar traits to the characters themselves, this will no doubt become one of my favorite rainy day movies.

Harry Connick Jr. is not someone I have become “attached” to over the years, but then I have not seen him in a great deal either. His character in the recent P.S., I Love You did nothing to improve my opinion, so I wasn’t expecting much from him in this role. Renee Zellweger is one of the best leading ladies currently in the market, so I gave the leading man a chance and both were quite good in their respective roles.  In addition to liking the cast, this film was more of a comedy than anything with just a hint of romance thrown in for good measure. The script was well written and a featured song was a favorite. The gist of the story revolves around Lucy and her struggle to decide what would be best for the small-town plant and its workers. And because of that, the comedy involved had a chance to shine. Renee also showed a completely different side to her acting by being able to do some physical comedy and manages to make it look effortless while giving the audience some laughs at her expense. What I liked so well about New in Town was its ability to give such a realistic picture of small-town life. It deals with the devastation the plant closing would mean to the community. On the lighter side though this film also has a touching sequence involving a young girl's first dance and the worry a father feels at seeing his little girl “all grown up” at thirteen. There were some statements made by a single parent in regards to his daughter’s clothes and music that I appreciated.

For the most part this film is warm and “welcoming” despite its few fairy tale interventions. Unfortunately even with a re-editing to PG, this isn’t “clean.” There are some visual and verbal innuendoes, the worst being when Lucy comes ill-prepared for the cold and when attending dinner unknowingly wears a top that reveals too much (causing stares from men). Another woman remarks that she cannot tell whether a man is looking at her or her “breasts.” Language makes its usual appearance -- a**, da**, and an obvious drowning out of the phrase “mother f." Lucy gets drunk while stranded; there is some other drinking in the film. A couple begins making out on the couch before they are interrupted. A big deal is made about Lucy needing to use a bathroom while out in the middle of nowhere and she is forced to use the outdoors. She is in coveralls and can’t get either the front or bottom zipper undone, so you can imagine the trials, especially when she must ask for help. The whole scene is played for laughs. A father gives his daughter's date a “threatening” warning. There is some mild spiritual talk and when asked if she’s “found Jesus,” Lucy quips “I didn’t know he was lost”, as a joke.

All in all everything is pretty harmless, but not appropriate viewing for a younger sibling. Don’t let a lifeless title fool you into thinking this isn’t worth your time. I am extremely pleased to have chosen this and in closing the only minor complaint I have was that the end dialogue was a bit lackluster. But really that is nitpicking a decently made comedy that, while not family friendly ,is a surprising warm ray of sunshine during these winter months.