The people there are all recent graduates of a Bad Minnesota Dialect workshop, and they're not afraid to "drag Jesus into regular conversation," as Lucy's secretary, Blanche Gunderson (Siobhan Fallon Hogan), informs Lucy.

Wait a minute -- did you say Gunderson?

You mean, like Marge and Norm Gunderson of "Fargo," a film that had both its wit and its wits about it, as opposed to the watery romantic comedy served up here? Is it some sort of law you have to name a Minnesota movie character Gunderson?

The script shuffles the central relationships of "The Pajama Game."

If you recall that brash and likable 1954 Broadway musical, or its film version, the story involved a Cedar Rapids newbie, the (male) factory foreman, squaring off against the female union rep.

"New in Town" goes the other way: female boss, male union rep. Chic, brittle Lucy finds herself in the land of 10,000 hideous wallpaper patterns, and she's barely off the plane when she insults the local union rep, played by easygoing Harry Connick Jr. He's a widower raising a daughter on his own and serves as Lucy's entry point into this land of good Christian folk who sound as if they're the heart and soul of Minne-SO-OH-OH-OH-ta, but in fact the project was filmed in Manitoba, where the tax breaks make Minnesota's look sick.

Why are romantic comedies so hard to get right?

Partly, it's because screenwriters put not-quite-human caricatures into human scenarios and strand them without funny things to say.

As conceived by writers Kenneth Rance and C. Jay Cox, Lucy is pure hostile ineptitude. She's not much fun as a heroine, and while she's meant to be a cool, sharklike corporate achiever in need of human warmth, the movie condescends to her all the way through. Likewise "New in Town" exploits Midwest heartland stereotypes even as it wags a finger in the face of those who would dare to make fun of these people.

It's too bad, because Zellweger can be a game comedian given half a chance.

She needs better gags, however, than a protracted bit involving freezing temperatures and women's nipples, or the buckshot-in-the-keister bit (lifted from "Bird on a Wire," to name another rom-com you'll have trouble naming in a year or two). When the factory's future is threatened, Lucy's transformation into caring friend of the worker doesn't wash.

Frustratingly, the film comes alive for 10 minutes or so midway.

When Zellweger and Connick settle in for a nice, pre-smooch conversation, the performers visibly relax, and "New in Town" suddenly feels like a film about people getting to know each other on a planet resembling Earth, instead of "Norma Rae Doncha Know."

New in Town MPAA rating: PG (for language and some suggestive material).

Running time: 1:36.

Starring: Renee Zellweger (Lucy Hill); Harry Connick Jr. (Ted Mitchell); J.K. Simmons (Stu Kopenhafer); Siobhan Fallon Hogan (Blanche Gunderson); Frances Conroy (Trudy Van Uuden).

Directed by Jonas Elmer; written by Kenneth Rance and C. Jay Cox; photographed by Chris Seager; edited by Troy Takaki; music by John Swihart; production designed by Dan Davis; produced by Paul Brooks, Darryl Taja, Tracey Edmonds and Peter Safran. A Columbia Pictures release.

"Slumdog Millionaire" Leads the Way
81st Academy Award Oscar Winners 2009

In much the same manner that the film captured the hearts of movie-goers, "Slumdog Millionaire" captured the hearts and votes of the Academy garnering 8 Oscars in total, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Sean Penn won his second Best Actor Academy Award for his role as Harvey Milk in the movie "Milk," while Kate Winslett won her first Oscar in the Best Actress category for he role as Hanna Schmitz in "The Reader."

Heath Ledger won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," posthumously. Ledger died on January 22, 2008 after an accidental drug overdose. Penelope Cruz won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Elena Maria in "Vicky Christina Barcelona."

"WALL-E" took home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature:

This year's top Academy Awards nominated film, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" with 13 Oscar nominations, won 3 Oscars (Achievement in Art Direction, Makeup & Visual Effects).

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