A romantic comedy, or any other style of comedy for that matter, gains extra points for overall likability if the characters speak with Southern accents.

That being said, “Sweet Home Alabama” (Touchstone Pictures PG-13) is pleasant to the ears, but the pleasantries end there.

Starring Reese Witherspoon as New York fashion designer Melanie Carmichael, “Alabama” revisits a familiar movie gimmick of showing a country bumpkin rise from the corn stalks to become a wealthy city success, and then having to return to his or her roots for … ( insert- reason here).

Backed by able-bodied costars Patrick Dempsey and Josh Lucas, playing the men of Melanie’s present and past, respectively, the plot revolves around which man she will choose to give her heart. Will it be Andrew in New York or Jake in sweet home Alabama?

Actually, aside from the trite cliches and hokey plot line, it’s hard to bash this movie into the ground because it had so much potential. Reese Witherspoon, who gained notoriety in films like “Election” and “Cruel Intentions,” is a talented actress who can switch from comedy to drama in the blink of an eye. But, like many other actresses who have come before her, she is finding herself typecast in the same quirky and predictable roles over and over.

As a highlight, Jake, Melanie’s old southern flame, is a tasty morsel who catches the viewers’ eyes with his relaxed charisma from the moment he steps on screen.

Melanie’s former superior in the New York fashion world is given the best bit of dialogue in the film (“Do we know … Mo?”).

Fred Ward, who plays Melanie’s father Earl, is a pure delight in every film he’s in, and he adds a tremendous amount of credibility to the “hick-ness” of this one (see the movie “Tremors” for another example).

The genre of romantic comedy is one that will never die but should have a long time ago. These types of films do nothing more than put ideas into the heads of old married people, convincing them that they should take up dancing lessons or eat out every Sunday night without the kids. And what good could that lead to?