Jessica Simpson's movie 'Blonde Ambition' rules the Box Office - in the Ukraine

[sharon_b]

Is Jessica Simpson the David Hasselhoff of the Ukraine?

The blond starlet seems to be the toast of the Eastern European nation. Her latest film, Blonde Ambition, hit No. 1 in the Ukraine, grossing $253,008 for the weekend of Feb. 14-17, Box Office Mojo reports.

It's a huge reversal of fortune for the film, which bombed back home. In December, Blonde Ambition had a run in eight Texas theaters, grossing just $1,771 in its opening weekend.

How to explain the comedy's success abroad? One word: escapism.

"The former Soviet nations have a sweet tooth for straight-up comedies," Conor Bresnan, editor in chief of Box Office Mojo International, tells PEOPLE. "When these comedies have big name celebrities like Jessica Simpson's, that's all that's needed to sell the movie. Russian and Ukrainian audiences have an even bigger urge for escapism than Americans. So, films like Blonde Ambition will gross more than No Country for Old Men.

And this may only be the beginning for Blonde Ambition. Next stop: Bulgaria.

Jessica Simpson Rules the Box Office – in the Ukraine - Movie News, Jessica Simpson : People.com

[Laurent]

$253,008 hardly rescues a movie that had a $60,000,000 budget.

This turkey was a disaster.

[purple rain]

WTF is wrong with Ukraine? I'm embarassed for them that it appears a lot of Ukranians chose to pay money to see this film.

On the other hand, maybe Jessica's success in Eastern Europe will convince her to make movies in those countries, and we will be rid of her.

[msdebagain]

i'd love to know what other movies are big hits there.

[CherryDarling]

That's hilarious!

[sparkly]

$253,000 is not a success, and it's pathetic that this is all it takes for her to be called successful.

[lurkur]

So it DID get released on the screen in the US? Which was the one that went straight-to-video? I thought that was with Luke Wilson.

And howTF did they spend 60,000,000 on a Jessica Simpson movie?????? Did they have her plastic surgery procedures written into her contract?

[cynic]

....I didn't THINK I had any Ukranian blood.......

....no Laurent.....it was a big hit in Turkey, too....