Employee of the Month

Directed by Greg Coolidge

(2006)

Watching television on a Sunday evening presents a challenging ultimatum. Rock of Love was the alternative. Not the worst thing I've ever seen. True, Dane Cook's incessant wit is overbearing, Jessica Simpson has zero capability for acting, and the jokes on the whole fail. But to lambast a movie of this persuasion would be unethical; you don't scold a kid with Down syndrome for their inability to grasp calculus. Judge a subject within its means. Jessica Simpson would therefore be exempt from any criticism.

Rather than the movie itself, it is the writers that I take issue with. Does this make any sense? Not really. But follow me. Regardless of whether or not you enjoy Employee of the Month, it would be dubious to deny that the plot follows a formulaic path littered with stereotypes: the underdog premise, the seemingly unachievable romantic interest, the irredeemable antagonist, humor at the expense of a midget, etc. These elements should be familiar to everyone, for they are the very fabric of popular comedies.

While I understand why these elements exist, I do not understand why it took two writers (Don Calame and Chris Conroy) to create the story and an additional third (Greg Coolidge) to help with the screenplay. This movie is pure stock. Why are three people needed to recycle cliches? I am reminded of a joke involving a light bulb and a certain amount of people necessary to screw it in. Yet, my laughter is subdued by the harsh realization that these three idiots most likely got rewarded handsomely for their unoriginal collaboration. Oh cruel world.