Legally Blonde (2001)

reviewed by
Homer Yen


`Legally Blonde'  --  Blondes Do Have More Fun
by Homer Yen
(c) 2001

Seldom are lighthearted comedies so smooth and enjoyable to watch as `Legally Blonde,' a very palatable comedy that is both cute and funny. Underneath its exterior of cutesy silliness, there is inner beauty as well. Don't let it's vapid look of cluelessness fool you. The film's heart and mind show intelligence, warmth and a great deal of appeal.

So too does it's lead character, Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), whose effervescent personality and sunny disposition make her thoroughly likeable. Alas, because of her radiant blonde hair and her love for all things pink, she is mistakenly assumed to be a ditzy airhead. Okay, she may be the spitting image of a Barbie doll, a TOTALLY popular member of her sorority (whose membership seems to require that you are blonde, fit, and wear belly-button exposing outfits), and considers fashion mag Cosmopolitan to be her bible. However, she has a 4.0 grade point average, is brilliant when it comes to merchandising, and is an aspiring fashion designer.

But that's not enough for her long-time beau and selfish cad, Warner (Matthew Davis), who has just been accepted to the prestigious Harvard School of Law. `I need someone serious,' he coldly says and then breaks up with her. From this moment on, she sets out on a mission to prove that she is good enough for him, and more importantly, that she can rise above the fluffiness of her own lifestyle.

She sacrifices the party life in favor of LSAT study sessions and submits a hilarious video essay on why she would make a great lawyer. Witherspoon is adorable and possesses a girl-next-door demeanor that gives her an endearing charm. We care about you! We feel for you! You go girl!

Up to this point, smiles are a sure thing. But it gets even funnier once our determined freshman arrives at Harvard. The poor thing is just not prepared for the rigors of academia. Hollywood and Harvard just don't mix and she quickly becomes the subject of ridicule by both teachers and students alike. While everyone else brings laptops to class, she brings a heart-shaped notebook with pink, feathery frills. She is immediately challenged by a catty coed (Selma Blair) and has a difficult time gaining acceptance among her other classmates.

But don't underestimate Elle, who has a mind as sharp as a hairdresser's safety pin and a heart as big as Texas. She studies rigorously, and soon she's going nose-to-nose with the snobbish elite over Socratic principles of law. She even garners a highly coveted internship at a top firm where she assists in defending a client in a celebrity murder case. Incredibly, the defendant is a former sorority sister, and Elle's background allows her to have the psychological insight that eludes the other lawyers.

Yet while she discovers new frontiers of determination and develops a new sense of focus, she never forgets about the virtues of friendship and helping others. This is brought forth in a cute side story involving an aging manicurist who is still waiting to meet Mr. Right. Elle imparts a hilarious lesson on how to attract guys by using a bend and snap motion. She possesses brains, beauty and a bubbly sense of humor. And `Legally Blonde' does too.

Grade: B+
S:        1 out of 3
L:        1 out of 3
V:        0 out of 3
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X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 237114
X-RT-TitleID: 1108857
X-RT-AuthorID: 1370
X-RT-RatingText: B+

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