Admittedly, I’ve never really understood the image of executive women that’s typically presented in the media. Being a business owner, and one who’s achieved what I consider to be success, it’s always confused me that the image of a “successful” woman in magazines is inevitably someone wearing completely impractical heels and a bag that costs as much as I pay for groceries in a year – who wakes up at 5am every morning, goes to bed at midnight, and somewhere in there manages to fit in a family. Call me crazy, but I walk everywhere. I’m a flats and hiking boots kinda girl.
When I started watching New in Town (the new Renée Zellweger film from Lionsgate), I initially bristled at Zellweger’s character, a Miami-based food company executive who gets thrust into running one of the company’s plants in Minnesota and facilitating a changeover in product lines. Initially, Zellweger’s character is portrayed as someone who’s too caught up in her work to notice the world around her. She wears impractical clothing. She insults the locals (and, as it turns out, all the people who would be in the best position to help her). I found her shallow and annoying.
But, as the movie goes on, Zellweger’s character begins to adapt to her new situation, and the movie offers a few really important lessons to professional women.
1. Don’t underestimate the folks that work beneath you. Zellweger’s character initially behaves, well, badly, towards her assistant when she invites Connick to dinner so Zellweger can meet him. Although Zellweger thought that the assistant was inviting Connick to set her up with him, she actually invited him because he’s the union boss, and she wanted to give her the chance to meet him casually before they had to meet professionally, and discuss potential layoffs.
2. Be adaptable. Although it takes her a while, Zellweger realizes that making her new situation work isn’t just about suits and stilettos and being tough as nails. She had to find ways to work with a completely different set of people with an entirely different set of needs, and she managed it very well.
3. When disaster threatens to strike, look for the opportunity. Without getting too much into movie spoilers, one of my favorite moments in the movie is when Zellweger is faced with orders from above that could dismantle everything she’d worked for. Instead of accepting defeat, she finds an opportunity within the community that creates a win-win for everyone.
All this, and the chemistry between Zellweger and Connick is, quite frankly, really nice to watch.
Dani – Great review! Especially your misgivings going in. On the other hand, there are movies (i.e. Click) where the men are almost painted the same way. So maybe there is some equality going on here? What do you or our readers think? Are there any movies out there that treat businesswomen appropriately? Certainly not Working Girl (which is fun, but not accurate), or that Demi Moore one with Michael Douglas.
I have to admit, that as farfetched as it was – I could relate a bit to Diane Keaton in Baby Boom when I had my son. I confess, I really thought I could continue running around in my designer suits on impractical heels all over the city, working 60+ hour weeks despite being a single mom. Doh! Ironically, I’m now doing my own thing while living in a small town. As for the shoes? My dog is probably wondering why I keep a closet full of chew toys that I never wear, yet still won’t let him have.
@Diane,
I tend to think of this as the “American” vision of what it means to be successful, and it’s something I’ve never really bought into. One of the things that’s annoyed me about business media in general is that they focus all their energy on people who, frankly, don’t seem to sleep much, let alone have lives outside of work – and these people are painted as who we should all aspire to be.
I enjoyed your critique of the movie and how you relate it to reality. You are right though! This is just Hollywood’s typecast and the main character doesn’t look like me or any other women entrepreneurs I know. Thanks for Sharing.
I enjoyed your critique of the movie and how you relate it to reality. You are right though! This is just Hollywood’s typecast and the main character doesn’t look like me or any other women entrepreneurs I know. Thanks for Sharing.