Blonde Ambition (2007)

Powerful

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Small town girl Katie (Jessica Simpson) decides to surprise her longtime fiancee Billy who has gone to NYC to be a model. She is surprised to find him in bed with another girl. She finds help from aspiring actor cousin Haley (Rachael Leigh Cook). Ben (Luke Wilson) from the mailroom is infatuated with her. Conniving executives Debra (Penelope Ann Miller) and Freddy (Andy Dick) hire the seeming idiot girl to be the new secretary to CEO Richard Connelly (Larry Miller). They think she would be easier to manipulate but her homespun wisdom is more of a hurdle. Pap Paw (Willie Nelson) from home is worried about the innocent Katie in the big city.Jessica Simpson is not necessarily the best of actors but she does have a natural comedic ease which is useful in the right movies. The start is functional and she isn't asked to do too much. Once she gets involved in the company, the writing gets worst and she is hopelessly overwhelmed by the mounting mess. She doesn't have a chance. She doesn't help either. This simply deteriorates into an unfunny comedy.

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.

Okay, I heard a lot from this movie being bad, being not well written, unsuccessful in limited release, Jessica Simpson in it, blah, blah, blah...I've seen it, was a breeze compared to other movies which tried to be 'good' when I came in, and those ones deceived me all the way. Not this one ! Let's give credit to Jessica Simpson here: she does her best, not the best actress in the world, but at least she is in a situation where she does not want to be the usual 'ditzy blonde', but make her place in a tough world...The supporting cast is OK (reason I watched is that Rachael Leigh Cook had a supporting role, a good performance, but too overshadowed...). Just watch an aging Penny Marshall making a reference to Milwaukee (if you remember her days as Laverne DiFazio in Laverne and Shirley...), it's worth to hear. To watch if you like Jessica Simpson mostly, she is almost in every scene...At least, this movie can't be that bad...

I actually quite liked this movie, fair enough some of the acting was stretched......however i can really say that i enjoyed it, Jessica Simpson was nice to watch and played the character well... it was a typical chick flick...girl's boyfriend is scumbag, girl meets new boy, old boy comes back,dilemma, then its all fixed :P with a bit of fun in the end....i must say the strippers were very much loved, as were the singing priests :Pif nothing else, just give it a watch, its worth it...