Reading America: ‘New in Town’? I’d Rather Read ‘Main Street’
Travel Blog • Sophia Dembling • 01.30.09 | 1:11 PM ET
The new fish-out-of-water romantic comedy, New in Town stars Ren?e Zellweger as a sharp-edged Miami business woman and Harry Connick Jr. as the flannel shirted Minnesotan for whom she falls when she comes to his frozen town to downsize his factory.
Critics are unimpressed. “Listless,” says the Los Angeles Times. The Chicago Tribune calls it, “‘The Pajama Game’ without the songs, the laughs or the bare-knuckled realism.” (It is among my dubious achievements to have played Babe Williams in my high school production of that show.) “Pleasant but predictable rehash,” sighs Newsday.
Movies are too darn expensive these days for ho-hum, so I’m skipping this and instead will pull out my dog-eared copy of Sinclair Lewis’ 1920 novel, “Main Street,” my all-time favorite book.
I reread it at least every other year. The story of urbane Carol Kennicott’s grudging adjustment to Gopher Prairie, Minnesota, (and the town’s grudging adjustment to her) after she marries the town’s doctor is pitch-perfect social satire, both cruel and kind. The side-by-side descriptions of Carol’s first look at Gopher Prairie and that of her soon-to-be maid, farm girl Bea Sorenson, is a delicious lesson in perspective.
“Main Street” was my textbook and cautionary tale when I moved from New York City to Dallas, Texas. Of course, Dallas is no Gopher Prairie, but it’s all a matter of perspective.
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Dallas-based writer Sophia Dembling is co-author of the Flyover America blog and author of "The Yankee Chick's Survival Guide to Texas." She would love to hear your tales of America, so drop her an email.
Eva Holland 01.30.09 | 2:25 PM ET
Hey Sophia, if you’re able, check out “Seducing Dr. Lewis” (La Grande Seduction, in French)—it’s a Quebec-made movie about an isolated village that needs to have a resident doctor to land an all-important new factory, so they try to lure a big-city Montrealer…
Very funny. Just a guess, but I’m betting it’s better than “New in Town”.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366532/
Sophia Dembling 01.30.09 | 3:11 PM ET
I’m heading for Netflix right now. I love this particular theme.
Jenna Schnuer 01.30.09 | 3:17 PM ET
And then there’s my beloved Northern Exposure. Oh, Joel, you nebbish of a doctor character. And even Men in Trees did a serviceable job with the theme. But I haven’t read Main Street (which seems like one of those things a girl isn’t supposed to admit to)—will remedy that this weekend (or so). Thanks for the recommendation Sophia.
Sophia Dembling 01.30.09 | 3:19 PM ET
Netflix has Seducing Doctor Lewis on the instant stream. O frabjous day.
Eva Holland 01.30.09 | 3:28 PM ET
Oh, Netflix, you sweet, sweet forbidden-to-Canadians fruit. Seriously, I’d contemplate a greencard wedding for Netflix access alone. Enjoy the movie!