Nothing unexpected happens in New In Town. It's as predictable, cliched, and by the numbers as one can get with a romantic comedy. However, it does have certain sweetness to it that makes it hard not to enjoy. Even though you know exactly what's going to happen next, you'll still enjoy the ride. In the end, I guess that's what every film ultimately should be: enjoyable.

Much of the charm in New In Town comes from Renee Zellweger, who plays the part of an uptight city girl who slowly lets the easy charm of a small town (and its hunky head of the union) show her that there's more to life than a career: people matter too. Although the film is quickly paced, almost too much so, Zellweger never makes her character's transition feel abrupt, although it really is. Most importantly for a film like this, she does a good job with both the verbal and physical humor.

Harry Connick, Jr. is perfectly at ease in his role of a man who's adjusted to small town life and likes it... and who doesn't want to see it disrupted by some city chick. Although the two leads don't have chemistry in the sense that I was ever really rooting for their romance, which was inevitable and therefore didn't need me to root for it anyway, they do have fun together and they're enjoyable when they're on screen.

I've read a few reviews that have praised the movie's portrayal of its Christian character Blanche, saying that she's one of the rare Christian characters that isn't played as a joke or less intelligent as anyone else, but as real. Well, I don't know if that's really the case. In fact, as I was watching this film with an audience, I came face to face with a truth about Christians that I hadn't really considered before. Although Blanche's Christian character is played as just a part of who she is in this film, the fact of the matter is she was one of the jokes. Several of her scenes were the scenes that got the biggest laugh. In fact, at one point when she asks Renee Zellweger's character if she's found Jesus, and Renee responds, "I didn't know he was lost," people laughed so hard I couldn't hear the next several minutes of the film. So while yes, Blanche's character is a positive portrayal of Christians in film, the fact is she's still a joke because people find Christians funny.

What's really funny is that, as a Christian, I didn't find what Blanche was saying to be all that odd or hilarious; in fact, it sounded normal to me. Therein lies the joke: Christians who truly live their lives according to the Bible, who truly dedicate their lives to be followers and disciples of Jesus, are so different from the rest of the world that they are somewhat alien, strange, weird, and yes, even funny.

Now it seems to me the logical question that one should ask is: why are Christians so strange and funny? What makes them so different from everybody else? They say strange things, to do strange things, they're the inspiration for characters like Ned Flanders (again, a Christian that's portrayed positively for the most part, but he's just so Christian that he's funny). Why are they like that? Why am I like that? (Well, I know why I'm like that, but I'm guessing that's what you would ask me).

Continue: 1 2