Summer isn't over yet, and one wonders why a dreary and misguided film like Little Black Book -- which would have crept into the theaters in the slow month of September -- doing in a crowded movie market?

Director Nick Hurran isn't sure what exactly he wanted to make from the script.

A romantic farce?

A black comedy?

A morality tale?

The funny scenes aren't comical, and the darker scenes are so silly that they cannot be laughed away.

One can't say the film has wasted Brittany Murphy's talent.

Those who have seen films like Uptown Girl know her limitations. But the script has failed formidably talented Oscar winners Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates.

But the film could ignite actress Julianne Nicholson's very new career.

If you step into movie theatres in the US screening Little Black Book, you may despair but at least the Carly Simon songs will keep you awake. And you may come out of the theatre thanking the film's climax.

Though it arrives after nearly 90 minutes of boredom, it has an intriguing and surprising twist.

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Stacy Holt (Murphy) has been feeling low because she suspects her boyfriend Derek (Ron Livingston) has not told her everything about his ex-girlfriends.

Stacy would have loved to work with her heroine, American television star Diane Sawyer, but has a job as an assistant to a not-so-exciting talk show host Kippie Kann (Kathy Bates). It is a dreary world.

Even fellow producer Barb (Holly Hunter) who seems to like Stacy can't give her some commonsense advice.

Instead of getting Stacy to discuss her concerns with Derek, Barb suggests the young girl find out more about Derek's ex-girlfriends.

Derek, an ice hockey scout, is conveniently away on business. But he has also conveniently left behind his Palm Pilot, the modern-day equivalent of the little black book of the title.

Contact Derek's old flames and get the women to think they can unravel their secrets on the Kippie Kann show, Barb tells Stacy.

The ensuing situation could have resulted in some suspense or genuine black humour but everything here is superficial and unfunny, though at least one of the women, a chef called Joyce (Nicholson), has a few interesting things to say.

Nicholson is one of the few surprises in the film, and Stacy's interaction with her character gives the film a few minutes of substance and humanity.

Stacy suddenly gets the chills when she realises that Joyce is not only a warm and cheerful person but also has her heart in the right place.

She begins to worry that her spying exercise has gone too far.

If the film had more moments like these, it would have been worth watching.

At one point in the film, Murphy warbles: 'Nobody does it better.' That is what you think of Nicholson, a talent to watch for, and whose talents needs a far better vehicle than the current dud.

CREDITS
Cast: Brittany Murphy, Ron Livingston, Holly Hunter, Kathy Bates and Julianne Nicholson
Direction: Nick Hurran
Written by: Melissa Carter and Elisa Bell
Running time: 100 minutes