Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
The only reason this film rated so poorly is because the first one was so perfectly balanced and executed. I am very, very sad not to have enjoyed this film more. In the first (which you must see, if you haven’t), Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) conquers the misconceptions about blondes through honesty, positivity, grace, ambition, and study. In this sequel, she uses almost every stereotypical power that blondes are supposed to possess, but which we all felt Elle was above using. In other words, she is not her own hero in this movie, and she makes a fool of herself part of the way, ultimately totally betraying her character. This is a pet peeve of mine, and it just made me want to weep.
So why rental with snacks and not anything less? Reese Witherspoon, and her excellent supporting cast (some old, some new) are just lovely to watch, even when they are trampling on the memory of Legally Blonde 1. The first movie downplayed her intellectual acumen, trusting that we would know that graduating top of her class from Harvard would prove it for us. In this film, newcomers Sally Field, Bob Newhart, Mary Lynn Rajskub and Regina King (and cute Bruiser!) are just as fun and interesting as returning (but underused) Jennifer Coolidge and Luke Wilson, but they too are trapped mostly by the material. Oh it makes me want to weep. First time screen writer Kate Kondell took the Blonde part but she seems to make fun of Elle, rather than respecting her, as if she hadn’t even seen the first movie. Game, charming Reese, a genuine role model in her own right, plays it as straight as she can, but ultimately she loses the battle to mockery of Ms. Woods.
Yes, Washington D.C. is a complicated place, but Elle is not stupid - she has a Harvard law degree, she didn’t sweet talk her way into that, she earned it, and the respect of those who know her, through hard work and perseverance. To naively blow into town with her same breezy pluckiness we expect; to naively stumble awkwardly, stupidly through adult situations she is perfectly capable of managing without the help of the phalanx of people Kondell conjures up for her to save her from herself, well, that’s not Elle.
A theme of the film is what is right versus what is the law, and that people are selfish and apathetic when it comes to things they should care more about (which is true, sadly enough). Ms. Woods should be the one who makes them care because she, gracious and determined as she is, has that extra something to make them care. In this script, however, she does not. Her obstacles are crushed by a magical swirl of typewriter keys, not by any action that she could have taken. It made me very, very sad. You should see it some time, because no matter what she is doing (even Cruel Intentions), Reese makes it worth seeing. But please don’t reward the studio for treating Elle Woods this way.
MPAA Rating PG-13
Release date 7/2/03
Time in minutes 94
Director Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
Studio MGM
