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A simple and inspiring movie. Dolly Parton's performance was outstanding!!! Got a little choked up at the end. A great movie when you want something inspiring and touching. A pure entertainment kind of deal. Disagree with Ebert's criticism that the movie is not representative of the radio or journalism business as I really don't care; i didn't watch the movie to be informed or educated about either of these businesses.

Shirlee Kenyon (Dolly Parton) loses her job for talking too much with the dance students. She loves giving advice. She is tired of her small town and her dismissive unemployed boyfriend Steve (Michael Madsen). She packs up for Chicago. She's trying to retrieve $20 she dropped on a bridge when reporter Jack Russell (James Woods) mistakenly jumps in to save her thinking she's trying to jump. She gives Janice (Teri Hatcher) advice which she uses to break up with boyfriend Jack Russell. Next, Shirlee gets a radio station receptionist job. She is mistaken for the new radio talk show doctor that manager Alan Riegert (Griffin Dunne) had hired. Riegert fires both Shirlee and the producer. Her small town charm makes her a big success and Riegert has to rehire her but only if she pretends to be a doctor which the owner demanded.

The story is a bit hokey but Dolly Parton has that sweet aw-shucks personality. It works for her. It has her down home charms. The movie has some light fun. It doesn't have big laughs but it's a sweet rom-com.

Shirlee (Parton) loses her job and breaks up with her boyfriend all in one day. She decides to start over in Chicago, but when she sets out to answer phones in a radio station, she's mistaken for the new advice guru, and she's a hit! While it turns out that her gift for giving advice is finally taking her places, the reporter who is investigating her wants to find out why she's qualified to give advice. If they can get past their fighting and annoying each other, they might just be perfect for each other.

This is one of my favorite Dolly movies. I love her early 90's outfits and her big hair, and she's so relatable as a girl trying to start over and get a life going for herself in Chicago. She's known for her witty bon mots and positive life philosophy from her various interviews, and here she is given free reign to express that part of her personality and it works. She's funny and kind, and down to earth.

This film has higher production values than some of her other films, and it shows as she's teamed up with a good script and other actors like Griffin Dunne, James Woods and Michael Madsen, amd more, who are all old hands. She gets to show off her comic timing and her characteristic warmth, and plays well against the more experienced performers. James Woods is great as the guy out for a story who learns what really matters when he meets Dolly's character Shirlee. I personally feel like he's a very unlikely romantic lead, not being conventionally attractive or warm, and yet you can believe he'd be a hard boiled Chicago reporter.

This film is warm and sweet, like home cooked apple pie. It's not particularly novel in it's approach to the rom com plot or genre, but it really hits the spot. It's heart warming and funny, and has enough going on to keep you interested, and Dolly's go-getter attitude and strong sense of self make her a more interesting romantic heroine than most. If you're a Dolly fan, this is one of her best.

See It If: you've ever wanted to break free and start over, or if you're the person all your friends go to for advice. A lovely, funny film with early 90's charm.

Some might dismiss this as a "feel good" movie and indeed it is. But it's a lot of fun and a bright vehicle for the always delightful and vivacious (bodaceous?) Dolly Parton. Sure, the plot is predictable from the first scene. But there are a lot of laughs and good moments on the way to the trite happy ending. But the measure of a movie is whether you enjoy it and this is a wonderfully honest and enjoyable picture.

An unlikely pair of actors, James Woods and Dolly Parton prove to be well cast, and their performances raise the level of the movie above the limits of the script. Woods is always good, but Dolly Parton is remarkable. Why don't we have more movies with her? This woman is so talented it breaks your heart.

Woods is the kind of brainy actor who has worked with so many prestige directors, it only raises my esteem for him that he took on this assignment with Parton. I'd like to believe he recognized the value of Dolly's screen persona and wanted to share in the light she brings to every project.

I was thinking that James Woods is the only actor to star opposite both Dolly Parton and Sharon Stone (well, there is one other brand name actor who's done that -- know who?).

My hope is that some day Dolly gets re-discovered through a Sundance project. Or maybe Quentin Tarantino will decide to film a ketchup-free love story and give Dolly the break she deserves. Hey, QT, you were born in Tennessee, right? Give Dolly a call...