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Employee of the Month By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Employee of the Month" (Lionsgate) is a lightweight comedy about a slacker stock clerk, Zack (stand-up comedian Dane Cook), at a Costco-style superstore where he tries to dethrone cocky co-worker rival Vince (Dax Shepard), who has nabbed top employee honors for 17 months straight. He thinks that winning will make pretty new cashier Amy (Jessica Simpson) fall for him, sparking a madcap competition for her affections. Zack's partners in crime include Lon (Andy Dick), Iqbal (Brian George) and Russell (Harland Williams), while Vince is aided by sycophant sidekick Jorge (Efren Ramirez). Zack's initial motivation -- to impress Amy, who's rumored to have slept with the "employee-of-the-month" recipient at her previous job -- is hardly honorable, but his lust turns into genuine love that inspires him to change his underachieving ways and take pride in his work. Cook is appealing, though Simpson should perhaps stick to singing. Director Greg Coolidge blends slapstick, broad comedy and satire to uneven effect, and while the gamesmanship is intermittently amusing, the general vulgarity undermines the story's sweet center. The film contains much crude and sexual humor, gay innuendo, a racial joke, a use of the f-word, as well as recurring crude language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. . END Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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