Legally Blonde
What appears, in the previews, to be a peppy, slim, no-brainer of a fantasy story where a ditzy blonde makes good through fashion awareness, is actually a peppy, well-written comedy where a blonde who has, heretofore, only been concerned with fashion awareness, grows and changes as a person (with some help from her fashion awareness, it’s true). Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods riffs on the nothing-fazes-me perkiness from her last great role, Tracy Flick in Election, and turns what could have been an amusing Alicia Silverstone vehicle into a genuine girl (not grrrl) power comedy.
The laughs come from all directions: the pure absurdity of her dog, Bruiser, and his many-splendored outfits, the painful, empathetic laugh of watching the clueless people stumble about, but also situational moments. It has a level of kitschiness and just-past-reality at certain times, and a sweetness at other times, but doesn’t actually waffle between the two - it blends them neatly, for the most part. The only real stain on the film and on Elle’s character is her friends from undergrad - horrible vapid people that one would think someone of her depth would avoid - but perhaps it is a character trait to think well of all people. It certainly is exhibited throughout the film for everyone else, and as an audience member I felt that I could not have been as big a person as she was in the situations in which she finds herself.
Despite the obvious (just look at her hair) reshot sequences at the end, and the lyrically fantastic notion that someone could walk into Harvard Law School with her qualifications, it’s a delightful little movie. The various perils of pre-conceived notions that blondes face were handled with humor and with gravity - as a blonde myself, but not one from LA with martini-swilling parents and a Mercedes convertible, I have not quite suffered as Elle suffered - but she seems to invite pre-conceived notions through her dress and her conversation. It is, therefore, all the more delightful when she does change, but without actually changing. I am not giving anything away - we know all this going into the movie. The delight is the journey.
Witherspoon really impressed me (not only with her hot, post-baby figure) with her acting in this film. It would be easy to play her vapid, naive, or over the top, but she always maintains a core of integrity that actually makes the comedy stronger. Matt Davis as her lunkhead boyfriend has that regrettable lunkhead/frat guy look to him, so he will probably end up typecast (as James Spader was for so long) as that kind of smooth, careless misogynist until he gets older. In this film he is perfectly cast, and totally conscience free.
Based on the soon-to-be-purchased by me book of the same name by Amanda Brown, Legally Blonde doesn’t break any filmmaking ground, except in making a fluffy, fun summer comedy that isn’t insulting and actually entertains with a message at the same time. As refreshing as a Slurpee on National Blonde Day (7/9/01).
*Upon repeat viewings (and despite its horrific sequel) I would raise this rating to Full Price Feature for creating such a great character and such delights.
MPAA Rating PG-14
Release date 7/13/01
Time in minutes 94
Director Robert Luketic
Studio MGM
