Simpson film No. 1 at Ukrainian box office

KIEV, Ukraine, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Jessica Simpson's latest movie, "Blonde Ambition," which was a box-office dud in the United States, was No. 1 in the Ukraine last weekend.

The film grossed $253,008 from Feb. 14-17 in the Eastern European country.

"The former Soviet nations have a sweet tooth for straight-up comedies," Conor Bresnan, editor-in-chief of Box Office Mojo International, told People.com. "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.'"