Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

New in Town Blu-ray Movie Review

This charming Romantic Comedy should satisfy genre fans.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 22, 2009

You're not so bad when you're unconscious.

New in Town dishes up a wealth of old Romantic Comedy standbys that still hold up even when buried under a foot of snow. A charming yet unoriginal and predictable romp that traverses the sun and fun of Miami and the cold and unforgiving climate of Minnesota, New in Town delivers a pleasant and satisfying endeavor that delivers exactly what its target audience craves. With plenty of humor, a budding romance, and a few standout side characters, the film follows its formula precisely and falls somewhere into a happy middle ground within the confines of its genre. Far from deplorable but certainly not as good the best the genre has to offer, New in Town won't leave audiences that enjoy a good old-fashioned Romantic Comedy in the cold.

New town, new hat.

Lucy Hill (Renée Zellweger, Leatherheads) is a Miami-based businesswoman on the fast track to success. Her latest assignment sends her to Minnesota where she's to convert a struggling small-town factory into the production hub for her company's latest product, the "Rocket Bar." Lucy is greeted by a collection of oddball small-town denizens who try their hardest to integrate her into their culture. While they're more interested in scrap-booking, ice fishing, and televised sports, Lucy wants only to maximize the factory's efficiency and minimize her stay in small-town, snow-laden middle America. Soon after her arrival, Lucy is introduced to Ted (Harry Connick Jr., Independence Day), a man who seems her opposite in every conceivable way. Only after a heated argument revolving around their cultural differences does Lucy come to learn that Ted is the local union representative and one of her obstacles to modernizing and possibly downsizing the company. Will Lucy's trip to Minnesota represent just one more rung on her way towards the top of the corporate ladder, or will small-town charm and -- possibly -- a romantic interest have her stocking up on mittens and scarves?

New in Town recalls 1987's Baby Boom, minus the whole baby angle. Much like any other number of films that feature a displaced damsel (Pretty Woman, for instance), and like most any Romantic Comedy worth its salt, New in Town derives most of its laughs in the punch-counter-punch struggle between both girl and unfamiliar environment and girl and love interest, in this case a scruffy beer guzzlin', pickup-drivin', shotgun-totin' union boss. It's the same old song-and-dance about a city girl trapped in the country, a go-get-em mile-per-minute type suddenly tossed into a frigid, laid back environment where family, friends, and the first day of ice fishing season supersede the hustle and bustle of the office and personal ambition. While not exactly offering anything that's going to redefine the way audiences look at Romantic Comedies, New in Town serves up a mostly delectable frozen treat that's easy on the palate, goes down smooth, and satisfies the craving for something sweet.

New in Town does offer a nice array of likable characters, particularly in those that play second fiddle to the duo of Zellweger/Connick Jr. Siobhan Fallon Hogan is simply wonderful as Lucy's friendly Minnesota secretary, Blanche. Clearly channeling Frances McDormand's character from Fargo and doing a great job of it while also seeming to have a blast with the part, she's easily the film's brightest spot and most memorable character. Meanwhile, J.K. Simmons (I Love You, Man) delivers his usual quality performance, the versatile actor who played the hard-nosed white supremacist Vern Schillinger in HBO's "Oz" portraying a character here that's almost the polar opposite, a scruffy, overweight teddy bear type that enjoys ice fishing and a beer with his closest friends. Meanwhile, Connick, Jr., and Zellweger don't capture quite the same spark that completes the very best Romantic Comedies. Though certainly no Gere/Roberts or Sandler/Barrymore, they perform their duties admirably enough, with Connick, Jr. the better of the two as he channels a character that at once is all business, all fun, and somewhat emotionally deep and nicely developed.

New in Town Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

New in Town settles onto Blu-ray with a handsome 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. Though some of the image takes on a cold, almost ever-so-slightly faded appearance that compliments the film's tone, it nevertheless delivers an above-average visual experience throughout, particularly with its well-rendered details. Clothing, and the many wool and woven heavy clothes benefit from Blu-ray, as does Lucy's flowing, perfectly-groomed head of hair where appropriately close-up shots reveal every waving, golden lock. Depth, too, is one of the transfer's strong suits, highlighting many distant and background items. On the other hand, blacks occasionally appear moderately bright, contrast periodically wavers, and flesh tones sometimes lean towards a shade of orange, not to be mistaken for several red cheeks, the result of the harsh Minnesota cold. A slight layer of grain may be seen over the entirety of the transfer, lending to it a nice film-like appearance. All things considered, New in Town boasts a quality high definition image.

New in Town Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

New in Town delivers Lionsgate's now old standby, a lossless DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack. This one's especially good when taking into account the lack of hefty action to be found in the movie. The film often banks heavily on the music that accompanies it, and each song, many of them of varied styles, play with fine clarity all about the soundstage, focused up front but also delivering a suitably strong rear-channel presence. Directional effects are few but effective; one scene features characters walking through well-trudged snow, their crunching footsteps flowing naturally from left to right across the front of the soundstage. Ambience also impresses at several points throughout. Country music is heard in the background of a diner scene in chapter five, and a light but chilling breeze penetrates the listening area to fine effect during a hunting sequence in chapter nine. Several shotgun blasts in the same sequence offer a suitable audible thump, followed by a nice echoing sensation as the sound travels through the chilly Minnesota air. Also featuring fine dialogue reproduction, New in Town makes for a fine listen considering the somewhat limited source material.

New in Town Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

New in Town arrives on Blu-ray with a rather standard assortment of extra goodies. Bonusview Picture-in-Picture with Cast and Crew is a feature-length video commentary with Writers C. Jay Cox and Ken Rance and Actors J.K. Simmons and Siobhan Fallon Hogan. This is one of those tracks that manages to deliver pertinent behind-the-scenes information with plenty of humor mixed in. Topics of discussion range form the role of scrap-booking in the film to the cold weather that accompanied the shoot. Making 'New in Town' in Winnepeg, Canada (1080i, 18:06) features an extended discussion with multiple cast and crew on the frigid weather in the Canadian city and the challenge of making it appear as a small Minnesota town. Pudding's Delicious Role in 'New in Town' (1080i, 6:03) features a glimpse at the role of the tasty desert featured in the film. The Folk Art of Scrapbooking (1080i, 7:43) introduces viewers to the world of scrap-booking and its role in modern culture with emphasis on the scrapbook kept by Writer and Mrs. Ken Rance. Also included are a dozen deleted scenes presented in 1080p high definition and 1080p trailers for The Forbidden Kingdom and Delta Farce.

New in Town Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mostly sweet and well-paced but also terribly predictable and generally unoriginal, New in Town nevertheless manages to walk the fine line between "worthwhile" and "meaningless" with precision. With infectiously funny dialogue, solid performances all-around, and a suitably well-developed romance, New in Town makes for a quality outing that probably won't crack most genre fan's top ten lists but likely won't disappoint too many of its target audience, either. Lionsgate's Blu-ray release accomplishes all that is asked of it admirably. Offering a nice film-like 1080p transfer, a fine lossless soundtrack, and a standard array of bonus features, New in Town would make a nice gift for any fan of both Blu-ray and Romantic Comedies.