Boy meets girl. Boy wins girl over. Boy loses girl to the antagonist. Boy competes with the antagonist and wins girl back in the end. Everybody knows this storyline; after awhile, all of the plotlines seem to run together and you can’t tell one movie from the other. But if you know a movie is predictable and can accept that, perhaps it can still be enjoyable. Such is the case for “Employee of the Month.”
Much of the movie takes place in Super Club, a warehouse store that is reminiscent of Costco. Dax Shepard plays the antagonist, Vince. Vince is promoted to head cashier of the store and has won 17 consecutive “Employee of the Month” titles. Zack, played by Dane Cook, is a bottom-of-the-barrel employee. Not the most motivated employee, he never was promoted from his position as a box boy. The two have been rivals for 10 years, but their competitive natures come to a head when a gorgeous new cashier transfers to the store. Enter Jessica Simpson, playing Amy, who has a reputation for only dating “Employee of the Month” winners. Zack suddenly finds his motivation and is determined to win the title, preventing Vince from winning the 18-month streak – and an ’81 Honda.
The comical battle ensues. Vince continues to be his cocky self, wowing the customers, and Amy, with his renowned speed in ringing up purchases. He takes Amy out, and she begins to see the type of guy he really is. Zack, meanwhile, goes the extra mile to get into work early and go above and beyond his call of duty. Amy is charmed by his sense of humor and sincerity – that is, until she finds out his hidden motivations. The battle continues until almost the very end of the movie, and with a small plot twist, most of you can probably determine the ending.
A comedy with a touch of romance in it is bound to have some cheesy dialogue in some places. Jessica Simpson certainly has the most “I cannot believe she just said that” lines, many of them referencing the title of the film. Nevertheless, she does do a good job at playing the beautiful but completely innocent blonde. Cook and Shepard play off of each other’s characters very well and are very entertaining. (By the way, if you are a fan of Pedro from “Napoleon Dynamite,” Efren Ramirez makes for a hilarious sidekick to Shepard’s character). You will enjoy this movie if you can appreciate it simply for what it is – a light-hearted comedy. If anybody can learn something from this film, it is that predictability is not necessarily a terrible thing.
