Romantic comedy 'New in Town' set amidst lay-offs with its love-among-the-financial-ruins theme could not have come along at a better time, considering that is what the country is facing presently.

Starring Renée Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr., set in the snowy depths of the Minnesota outback, where business at a small town's major employer i. e. a yogurt plant, is souring, we only get comedy that is flat, romance that is listless and the pace of the film is more than sluggish.

Lucy Hill (Zellweger), an ambitious executive from Miami , jets in to downsize and make the plant more effective. Right away, it is obvious that Lucy in her designer suits and stilettos, is out of her element in tiny New Ulm.

A very scruffy union leader Ted (Harry Connick Jr.) is there to let her know she's got a battle on her hands. There is sparring and there are spats between the two, they argue about everything, so of course it must be love. But, Zellweger's Lucy never melts convincingly, and potentially lovely moments are lost, however, along the way, Lucy begins to get in touch with her inner small town self. She begins to understand and enjoy good old-fashioned American values of friendship, community and the dignity of hard work.

Teen girls may get a kick out of this romantic comedy for its funny and eccentric supporting characters, but the more discriminating filmgoers may find 'New in Town', a frustrating experience. Opening with refreshing oddball humor and originality, it gradually turns formulaic and clichéd, with mild profanity, toilet humor, jokes about religion, and a few comic moments that may embarrass people.