Film Review

09 January 2009 12:20 BST

Employee of the Month

Directed by Greg Coolidge, out now in cinemas, starring Jessica Simpson, Dane Cook, Dax Shephard and Andy Dick, running time 103 minutes.

In a nutshell…

Capable cast but lame plot

What's it all about?

Thirty-something nice-guy slacker Zack (Dane Cook) is quite happy in his job as a box-stacker at large warehouse store Super Club, but decides to clean up his act and attempt to win the legendary employee of the month award when blonde bombshell Amy (Jessica Simpson) joins the staff.

According to her file, she will only date the winner, but Zack faces stiff competition in the form of reigning champion and manager's favourite Vince (Dax Shephard). As the end of the month nears, each resorts to desperate techniques in order to destroy the competition, aided by their loyal friends and co-workers.

Who's in it?

Jessica Simpson - last seen as denim hot pants-wearing Daisy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard - turns in an acceptable performance in her minimal role of Amy and is probably the only face UK audiences will recognise.

Dane Cook, while likeable and fairly believable, borders on cheese with his portrayal of Zack. The actor is relatively well-known in the US, previously starring in movies such as Torque and London, while Dax Shephard is mostly just unfunny, having had bit parts in shows such as King of the Hill and Robot Chicken.

The supporting characters provide some laughs, with comedian Andy Dick as short-sighted Lon and Efren Ramirez - best known for his role as Napoleon Dynamite's sidekick, Pedro - as Vince's lackey, Jorge.

As an example…

"Is your name Semi because you're the size of a tractor trailer or because you're semi-retarded?" says Vince to the (un)hilariously obese security guard, Semi.

Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars

Unfortunately, this has neither the potential to be critically acclaimed nor a box office smash.

Although it does have a few moments of comedy, there is not enough to convince UK audiences that it's a winner - although it's not quite terrible enough to warrant a trip to the Razzies.

What the others say

"A likeable cast is underused in this cut-price guy comedy with only the occasional laugh," Anna Smith, Empire

"A just-for-fun comedy," Los Angeles Times.

So is it any good?

With a paper-thin plot, this film is forced to survive on the comedic talents of its cast who mostly put in average performances. Unfortunately for them, Employee of the Month doesn't have quite enough jokes or charm to help it become in any way memorable.

There are many lame and immature jokes, which can't help but patronise the audience who are meant to think that a slow and fat security guard or the comparison between a bespectacled man and the Hubble telescope is amusing. Most of the 'comedy' comes from Vince, who looks like a cut-price version of Scrubs' Zach Braff and is nowhere near as funny.

However, the film includes some fairly entertaining slapstick (if you find yourself guiltily laughing at You've Been Framed - this is for you) and Jessica Simpson is certainly easy on the eye with her chest pretty much stealing the show, but that's about all it's got going for it.

3/10

Isabel Plumbly

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