As far as comedies go, it is a lukewarm attempt at creating an atmosphere in which mediocre jokes can be told.

Great films feature classic characters, impersonated and remembered by all for years, until they are retired in the comedy hall of fame. “Employee of the Month,” on the other hand, features characters one easily forgets.

The premise of the movie is that Zack (Dane Cook) is a lowly employee of Supermart (a buy-in-bulk warehouse store similar to Costco or Sam’s Club). The store’s biggest honor is the “Employee of the Month” award, which Vince (Dax Shepard) has won 17 months in a row.

When a hot new employee (Jessica Simpson) shows up, Zach vows to win her over after finding out she has a thing for the employee of the month. The only thing standing in his way is Vince’s drive to set a new company record of 18 months and his own lack of motivation.

As far as comedies go, this movie is a lukewarm attempt at creating an atmosphere in which mediocre jokes can be told. Popular comedians Dane Cook, Andy Dick and Harland Williams fall far short of their past works as none of them are able to deliver even one solid belly laugh to the audience.

It feels like first-time lead Cook was focusing too much on trying to be an actor and not enough on being what he naturally is: a talented stand-up comic. Simpson is once again playing herself as her body plays more of a role in the film than her acting. The funniest lines of the movie come from former “Punk’d” star Dax Shepard.

“Employee of the Month” is an extremely forgettable flick out to just make a quick buck off the names of the actors starring in it. If you feel like going out to the movies, don’t see this one.

> Comments