Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- breezy
- witty
- warm
- lazy sunday
- date night
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as a predictable, formulaic romantic comedy weakened by uninspired writing and exaggerated regional stereotypes.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lucy Hill moves from upscale Miami to rural Minnesota to manage a manufacturing plant restructuring.
Lucy must balance her career-driven goals with her growing connection to Ted and the threatened town.
The proposed plant closure would eliminate jobs and destabilize New Ulm, forcing Lucy to reconsider corporate priorities.
The film contrasts Lucy's Miami lifestyle with New Ulm's working-class community, gossip, winter traditions, and local speech.
Films like New in Town, and why
Sweet Home Alabama
shared fish-out-of-water romantic comedy, workplace conflict, and feel-good small-town transformation
The Proposal
shared romantic comedy structure, clashing social worlds, and warm community-centered resolution
Morning Glory
shared workplace romance, ambitious protagonist, and breezy comedy about reassessing personal priorities
Movie Details
- Director
- Jonas Elmer
- Release Date
- 2009-01-30
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (525)
Cast
- Renée Zellweger
- Harry Connick Jr.
- J.K. Simmons
- Siobhan Fallon Hogan
- Mike O'Brien
- Frances Conroy
- Ferron Guerreiro
- Barbara James Smith
- James Durham
- Robert Small
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is New in Town about?
- A Miami career climber sent to freeze-out duty in Minnesota discovers that saving a factory town may matter more than climbing the corporate ladder.
- What is New in Town like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of New in Town as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is New in Town violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in New in Town.
- What did critics think of New in Town?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as a predictable, formulaic romantic comedy weakened by uninspired writing and exaggerated regional stereotypes.
- Which films are like New in Town?
- Films with a similar feel include Sweet Home Alabama, The Proposal, and Morning Glory.
- How long is New in Town?
- New in Town runs 97 minutes.
- Where can I watch New in Town?
- In United States, New in Town streams on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
