Beauty and the Briefcase

ABC Family’s made for TV romantic comedy, Beauty and the Briefcase is sticky sweet, and completely unbelievable, but it’s exactly what you want from a rom-com: fluffy pink fun that wraps up in a neat little bow.

Debuting this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET,Beauty stars Hilary Duff as fashion journalist Lane Daniels, who dresses like Elle Woods but is not nearly as smart. Case in point: when we meet Lane, she’s one of those annoying single girls in New York who is in her early 20’s and complains that not one guy in her life meets the qualities that she’s laid out in her “checklist.” Of course, those checklist items don’t have anything to do with honestly or loyalty or family values or anything else a real girl actually cares about. Lane’s list includes items like “sexy accent” and “witty statements on the tip of his tongue.” And, Lane’s “magic man” must have all 10 ridiculous things on her list.

Lane is a struggling freelancer who worships Cosmopolitan magazine — and when she lands a “pitch meeting” at her dream publication, she’s giddy with excitement. But when her meeting with Cosmo editor Kate White (played by Jamie Pressly) starts to bomb, she starts (yet again) complaining about her lack of a boyfriend, only to stumble upon the idea to write about finding love in the business world. Kate puts Lane on the task: get a job in “business,” and date men in suits. One of them must be her magic man! But when Kate ominously says, “You must date no one else,” you know something is going to go wrong. (Fun fact: one her way to the Hearst building, Lane stops in the crosswalk and bumps into the real Kate White. Also, in real life, Kate White is happily married.)

Somehow, Lane manages to bungle her way into a job at investment company Thomson/Fullworth and scores tons of dates with guys in suits, even though her “flirting” technique just seems to be wearing brightly colored, tight skirts and tops and saying, “Hi.” Along the way she meets some eligible men, like her boss Tom (Michael McMillian) and cutie co-worker Seth (Matt Dallas), but when she meets British music producer Liam (Chris Carmack) at a bar (and he doesn’t wear suits!) a wrench gets thrown into her plan.

Like all good romantic comedies, though, Beauty concludes with a happy ending, and a carriage ride through Central Park. And Lane learns that sometimes your “magic man” can take you by surprise. Yes, ladies, it’s true. You can find love with a man who isn’t all those things you wanted your dream guy to be back when you were in college.