Blonde Ambition

Katie (Jessica Simpson) lives in Oklahoma with her "Pap Paw" (Willie Nelson), who runs a general store. She is engaged to a real looker, Billy (Drew Fuller) who is leaving the plains for New York City, with the intent to become a top model. Katie is forlorn about his departure and soon makes plans to travel to Manhattan herself, for a surprise visit. However, Billy the Cad has a woman in his bedroom when Katie comes knocking. Tearfully, Katie gives him back the ring and heads to the apartment of another Oklahoma transplant, Haley (Rachael Leigh Cook). Haley is an aspiring actress and offers welcome and comfort to Katie. But, when she has an audition, she asks Katie to fill in for her at her day job as a bicycle courier. In short order, Katie not only meets a nice mail clerk, Ben (Luke Wilson) but also a nefarious company vice president, Debra (Penelope Ann Miller) and her loathsome assistant, Freddy (Andy Dick). Perceiving Katie as a "dim bulb", they soon have her placed as the secretary for the company president (Larry Miller), where they hope to manipulate her into embarrassing the prez in front of the board of directors, resulting in his ouster and Debra's elevation. Can such a scheme work and is Katie really just another dumb bunny? This is a very predictable offering to fans of light romance but it has its moments and most of the cast is really terrific. Simpson herself is rather nondescript but pleasant but not so for the other thespians. Wilson is engaging as ever, Penelope Ann Miller makes a fine screen witch, and Dick has some really funny scenes. Larry Miller, Nelson and Cook also add much to the film's enjoyment. As for Fuller, all one can say is "wow!" He is very handsome and should have a bright future ahead of him, as an actor or a model. While there is nothing spectacular about the costumes, sets, or photography, they are definitely up to par, but the formulaic script and direction alternates between humor and tediousness. In short, if you are not an admirer of the romcom genre, you would probably be well advised to skip this one altogether. But, for those who adore tales of love and laughs, this will fill a need when entertainment choices are lacking.

Make no mistake, this is a "B" movie but a nicely made "B" movie with fine actors. It is set in NYC but except for a few establishing shots was filmed in Minden and Shreveport, Louisiana.

Jessica Simpson is Katie from a small town in Oklahoma. She has a fiancee that is a bit stuck on himself and he moves to NYC to pursue his fashion modeling. When she pays him a surprise visit she finds out that he isn't very faithful and they break up. Ready to accept that fate and return to Oklahoma, her friend Haley pursuades her to stay a bit. Then by a stroke of luck Katie gets a job as the assistant to the president of a company.

All of this is quite improbable, including the way she meets Luke Wilson as Ben of the mail room, but they quickly take a liking to one another.

Underrated actress Penelope Ann Miller is probably the best here, as Debra, the devious VP of the company, trying to use Katie as a way to make the President look bad so she can move up. She plays the part to perfection.

It was also nice to see Willy Nelson, while he would not give Gene Hackman or Marlon Brando much competition, he was a nice addition as Katie's Pap Paw. And also one of my favorites over the years, Rachael Leigh Cook as Katie's friend Haley.

I found this streaming on Amazon Prime, the goings on are highly unlikely but I was entertained.

By now you should already know about this film, the Jessica Simpson "bomb" that pretty much went straight to video (limited, anemic theatrical run). Basically, Ms. Simpson's Katie travels from a small town in Oklahoma to visit her boyfriend, to surprise him, only to find him in bed with another woman. She is stranded, but has one friend (Rachel Leigh Cook, whom I wish we saw more often in film), who lets her stay. Katie ends up getting a job via two conniving co-workers (Penelope Ann Miller and the always amusing Andy Dick) who are just using Katie to get the president of the firm (Larry Miller) ousted. This is strictly a b movie, its not meant to be profound. Jessica Simpson is not a great actress by any means, but she is pretty much beautiful and never truly annoying. The film is watchable in that its not an abomination, but its throwaway fluff. In a cameo, Penny Marshall is funny (a subtle in-joke about Milwaukee made me chuckle), and there is a funny scene involving Norwegian priests (don't read too much into this). So, not horrible, but easy to skip. Your safe bet is to watch it on television if it ever does. Again, not good, but not a profound disaster.

This film is about a small town girl going to New York to surprise her fiancé, only to find that her fiancé is dumping her. She stays in New York and finds big success.

I am surprised by the negativity around most of the comments. It's true that "Blonde Ambition" is not Oscar material, but you should already know that before watching it.

Jessica Simpson's character is cute and likable. The plot is actually not bad. It is funny and light hearted. I really enjoyed watching Katie and Ben being together. Unlike other romantic comedies, office politics get a big part of the film. And have I mentioned that Freddy is really hilarious?

"Blonde Ambition" made me smile and I felt happy after watching it. I think it is a great brain off romantic comedy. The only complaint I have is the constant un-subtle product advertising, which gets annoying and out of place at times.

Who wrote this? Some guy named John Cohen. I guess this was the first screenplay he's ever worked on. Someone should've told him you're supposed to write dialog that sounds like something someone actually might say.

And who directed this? Scott Marshal? Son of Gerry Marshall. My the nut has fallen far from the tree. Someone might have wanted to let him know that you can, in fact, shoot a scene in a cab in New York, and it will look real, and you won't have to fake it with a blue screen for no reason. Might have also wanted to let him know he should stay away from Jessica Simpson, but hopefully he's learned that lesson now.

And Jessica Simpson... naturally she can't act. Hell, she makes Jessica Alba look like Audry Hepburn, and yet she's starring in this movie. OH wait, it was produced by her father. Okay, that's why she got the part. That's really the only reason I can think of.

So should I be surprised it's bad? No. Should I be amazed at how bad it is? I think a lot of people would if they saw as much of it as I did. I mean you expect a movie starring Jessica Simpson to be bad, but this... it's not just bad, it's the complete opposite of a classic film. Think of a great Woody Allen movie, this film is as bad as that film is good. It's the Anti-Annie Hall.

I am so glad I didn't pay to see it, I stopped watching ten minutes in cus I couldn't go on. No doubt I would've walked out of the theater sooner. In fact I wonder how many of the 6 people who saw it per theater actually stayed and watched the whole thing. The film starts out laughably bad, and then goes to the point of being so bad it becomes a kind of Chinese water torture. And then, around when the first act is ending, you realize it'll only get worse, and that's when you either need to leave, or kill yourself.

In conclusion, this film goes under the category of being so bad it should be used in place of water boarding at Guantanamo Bay. Although some prefer the water boarding.