Maybe the planets were all lined up last night, or perhaps a theater worker slipped some hallucinogenic drugs into my Diet Coke. Whatever the case may be, I ended liking the new comedy “Employee of the Month” - a movie, which based on its trailer, made repeat viewings of “The Benchwarmers” or an actual, physical flogging preferable and more rewarding.

“Employee of the Month” comes to the big-screen by way of director Greg Coolidge, whose only notable film in recent memory was “Sorority Boys.” And when I say notable, I really mean worthless and completely void of any humor. Way to rise from the ashes, Greg, especially with a cast of newbie headliners like Dane Cook (“Waiting”), Dax Shepard (“Without a Paddle”) and chick-of-all-trades, Jessica Simpson (“The Dukes of Hazzard”).

The movie is set in a big-box Costco/Sam’s Club type of store in what could be Anytown, USA. We’ve all been to these stores, so when we see shoppers buying 12 gallons of hair gel, a 100 can case of non-descript, white-label beer, as well as the world’s biggest box of Velveeta cheese, well, we laugh because it’s true. We also laugh because we can relate to the main character, Zack (Dane Cook), because we’ve all been in one of those dead-end jobs going nowhere fast.

Zack has mastered the art of going to work, but not really working. He and his friends – Russell (Harland Williams), Lon (Andy Dick) and Iqbal (Brian George) – have each other’s back at work and spend their days playing Texas Hold ‘Em in a “lounge” they built high above the store between the food processors and diapers. They also spend their time despising – with good reason, mind you – the store’s golden boy, Vince (Dax Shepard) and his “wingman” Jorge (Efren Ramirez). You see, Vince has just won employee of the month for the 17^th month in-a-row. How hard is it to hate a guy like that?

In any regard, the store manager explains that Vince will go into the Super-Club Hall-of-Fame if he wins his 18^th employee of the month award, but he also adds that November’s winner will also get a “newish” Chevy Malibu. Obviously Vince thinks the car and the award are in the bag because he’s been unchallenged for so long. That is, until Amy (Jessica Simpson) transfers to the store.

Zack is immediately awestruck by Amy and it rankles him that she seems to gravitate towards Vince. It also irritates him that Vince likes to point out in front of Amy that Zack is the “lowest of low” because he is a box boy. So, after Russell bribes the store’s HR lady with some Butterfinger candy bars, the group discovers that Amy has a thing for guys that win employee of the month. Zack decides he will win employee of the month and likewise win Amy’s affection.

The movie gravitates towards the clichéd comedy from time-to-time with Zack’s quest to become employee of the month, but never slips too far from its core humor, which is great delivery and great writing. I worried, after seeing the trailer and Jessica Simpson’s faux big ears, “Employee of the Month” would be a physical comedy, playing off sight gags, but the movie is pushed by its supporting cast and great comedic performances by both Dane Cook and Dax Shepard.

“Employee of the Month” is definitely worth the full-price ticket and probably the most enjoyable movie I’ve watched this autumn. It’s probably more geared toward the MTV generation and embraces its PG-13 rating with gusto.