Katherine Heigl. For so long on the cusp of Hollywood’s inner circle, then the double big/small screen success of both ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Knocked Up’ propelled her to the rom-com go-to girl of the new millennium.

Her new movie is ‘Killers’ where she plays up-tight singleton Jen, who is swept off her feet by handsome charmer Spencer (Ashton Kutcher), much to the chagrin of Jen’s equally up tight father (Tom Selleck). What Jen doesn’t know, however, is that Spencer is an assassin, who secretly gives up a life of killing to marry her. But when a mystery figure puts a hit out him Spencer, his whole secret life is revealed, and the only people the couple can trust is each other.

A cute idea for a plot that, if handled correctly, could overcome the obvious comparisons to films like ‘Mr & Mrs Smith’ and ‘Grosse Point Blank’. Sadly, it’s handled very badly, and as such looks like a poor imitation of the former film, only with fewer surprises, and less likeable leads. It starts as a charming, if far fetched, comedy that turns into one prolonged series of car chases and shootouts. Very few jokes hit the mark, and those that do only really raise a smile, but no more.

It’s hard to judge Kutcher too harshly, because he doesn’t have much to do other than shoot and run/drive. He does, mercifully, tone down the madcap ‘Bill & Ted’ persona that dogged his early career into something (relatively) serious. The same cannot be said for Heigl who brings out the same indignantly ditzy character that appeared in ‘The Ugly Truth’, ’27 Dresses’, and everything else basically. The one real treat are Selleck and Catherine O’Hara as Jen’s parents, who are genuinely funny and almost deserve a movie of their own.

Not a catastrophe, but given the price of movie tickets these days you may be better served renting ‘Mr & Mrs Smith’, as there’s nothing here that hasn’t been done better elsewhere. Pretty leads cannot save a plot that does little to make you laugh and offers even less to peak your interest. A good idea poorly executed (no pun intended).

Killers is released on June 18.