It's safe to say that the nearest country singer / reality TV star Jessica Simpson will get to an Oscar is if one of her singles plays on Meryl Streep's mantelpiece radio.

Still, produced by her dad Joe, this chirpy romcom makes the most of her assets, putting her up front as a country boob who, after a few wobbles, puffs out her chest to make it big in New York.

After finding her male model fiance (Drew Miller) in bed with stripper, Simpson's fresh-off-the-bus hick Katie moves in with her courier cousin Haley (Leigh Cook).

Covering Haley's shift, Kate makes a delivery to a mega-corp where scheming vice-president Debra (Penelope Ann Miller) spies her as exactly the sort of naive incompetent she needs to undermine current president Mr Connelly (Larry Miller).

But, installed as Connelly's secretary, Kate shows surprising initiative. The exposure of her previously hidden talents certainly impresses office mailman Ben (the well-fed Wilson). However, Debra and her slippery assistant (Andy Dick) aren't about to let some hoedown queen ruin their best laid plans.

Reworking the 'bimbo strikes back' formula of Working Girl, Legally Blonde and The House Bunny, director Scott Marshall has a way to go to reach the romcom heights of his dad Garry's Pretty Woman.

But while this blonde's ambitions are limited, with Simpson as eye candy and typically reliable support from Miller, Miller and Wilson, she delivers all the bubblegum-popping satisfaction you'd expect.

Elliott Noble