A Blonde Goes A Long Way...That'll do, Elle
 Nov 6th, 2003
Advantages:
proves that some blondes arent morons
Disadvantages:
too silly for some
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
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Story
Characters / Performances
Special Effects
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  eve6kicksass
About me:
05/092008 --- The bar for the Summer Movie Season has been set extraordinarily high by "Star Tr...
Member since:03.03.2003
Reviews:249
Members who trust:419
Review rated by 41 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
Now, in this op I'm not going to say a bunch of crap like this film is "a great chick flick" or "a totally funny comedy." LOL, mainly because the large amount of people who say things like that are blondes anyway, I'm going to look at this movie at a more artistic angle, telling you how brillaint it is, satiric it is, one of the best most unforgettable films of all time.........wait a second...what the hell am I saying. This is a totally funny comedy, and a great chick flick....despite the fact I don't agree with that somewhat sexist term. Yes, yes...I know this film will appeal more to girls than guys, a given fact. So why did I love this film? Two words: Reese Witherspoon!!! I've been in love with Reese (and if she is reading this, no I'm not a stalker!!!!) ever since I saw her in her first film in 1991; she made her debut in THE MAN IN THE MOON, a wonderful, unforgettable romantic drama where she played a 14-year-old girl in love with a 17-year-old boy (DAZED AND CONFUSED's Jason London). Her performance in MOON made the movie, and those who love Reese better go out and buy it. Ever since then, there is only one movie shes been in where I think she was wasted, and that was S.F.W.---and even though I liked her in FEAR (1996), everything thing else about that film was just being a FATAL ATTRACTION rip-off and putting Calvin Klein pin-up Mark Wahlburg in the laughable starring role as the psycho. While many people loved her and praised CRUEL INTENTIONS, there was another film she made at that time where I knew she had reached the top of her game...and made the very rare perfect transaction from young actress to modern, professional actress...and that was ELECTION, a brilliant satire with Matthew Broderick.
Ok, I'm sorry, I think that I have proved enough about how much I love her, and yet I have no idea why I didn't
hear about LEGALLY BLONDE until it came out on video...and yet it made over $100 million at the box office!!! (I also heard rumors that it literally saved MGM studios from bankruptcy, considering the fact that the only franchise keeping the studio alive was James Bond.) Anyway, I had rented this film to watch with my sister and brother-in-law...it started almost unbearable (at least I thought so) because of the typical (and stereotypical) female college characters being introduced as Elle's friends. Soon, however, when Reese lit up the screen and it got to its key plot point, I was totally immersed and under the film's spell. Reese stars as Elle Woods, a sassy, sexy (and yes, blonde) sorority girl majoring in fashion design at a California university. She is anticipating for her boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis, from PEARL HARBOR) to propose to her...but she soon recieves the disappointing (and ultimately, insulting) news from him that he wants to break up, based on the reality that he is going to Harvard Law School. Elle, like any other girl in her position says, "so the hell what?...and he responds that it doesnt think it would be a good idea to stay together....because of HAIR COLOR??? Elle, being heartbroken, decides to do the unthinkable to win back Warner, and that is go to Harvard herself and change her major to law. While the plans don't go as she expects them, she soon realizes that she DOES have the brains under her blonde head to become a really good lawyer.
Now, I will be the first one to admit...if noone else did...that this is ultimately a one-joke comedy. Yet, I also think that is the film's only flaw...aside from being downright silly at times. Still, I think I know why LEGALLY BLONDE became a runaway and unexpected hit: after all the blonde jokes we have heard, we were expecting (and maybe needed) a film like this to come along. Personally, I love blonde jokes, which this film has plenty of, though it also proves to everyone that not all blondes are stupid. Now, like most comedies of this nature it is predictable in some spots (me and my sister knew off the bat that she was going to end up with the kind Emmett Richmond (a likeable Luke Wilson) rather than her idiot boyfriend, though I DIDN'T expect for the tables to turn as to who the real "villians" were. In addition, there are a surpringly high amount of genuine laughs and gags, especially some riotous one liners like, "You got into Harvard Law???....What? Like its hard?." After so many crude comedies of recent years like THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY this was a more than welcome old-fashioned tale that seems to hark back to the screwball comedies of the 1930s, like BRINGING UP BABY. Reese is a joy to watch, though she is surrounded by a strong supporting cast. There is also Selma Blair (another up-and-coming young actress) as Vivian Kensington, who plays Warner's new girfriend with spunk who ends up not being all that of a bitch than you expect her to be. She and Reese have wonderful chemistry---considering the fact that they previously co-starred in CRUEL INTENTIONS. Victor Garber (TV's ALIAS) and Holland Taylor (ROMANCING THE STONE) are terrific as the Harvard law professors, and there is also a scene-stealing turn by Jennifer Coolidge (yes, Stiffler's Mom) as Paulette a hair stalon stylist who has the hots for a UPS deliverly man. Jesseca Cauffiel and Alanna Ubach are very funny (if a little over-the-top) as Elle's sorority friends who deliver one of the film's funniest lines at the climactic courtroom scene, which I will repeat at the end of this film. Then there is also the legendary Raquel Welch who appears ever so briefly.
LEGALLY BLONDE is actually based on a novel by Amanda Brown, which I'm sure is nothing like the movie, though I would like to read it just the same. The book was adapted by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith; Lutz attended James Madison University in Virginia (the same uni I went to!!), and she and Smith also penned the highly successful 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU!!! They finished their third script which is being filmed now called ELLA ENCHANTED (Ella...Elle...hmmm), a period romantic drama starring Anne Hathaway (of PRINCESS DIARIES fame), Cary Elwes (of PRINCESS BRIDE fame) and Minnie Driver (of PRINCESS...wait a sec, she wasn't in a princess movie, even if she is one, lol). Ok, getting back to LEGALLY BLONDE, the movie was directed by Aussie Robert Luketic, who makes his directorial debut here, and what an auspicious debut it is!!! His quirky touch of class that he adds to the film brings everything out in the performances and the look of the film. Usually I don't praise soundtracks, and while this may have some standard tunes relating to Girl Power, I actually loved many of the songs (Lisa Loeb is a personal favorite), and I'm a proud owner of the cd. Now, I must say that I can't stand MTV (Moronic Television) though I must agree with the number of honors they gave to this film, including Rolfe Kent's upbeat score, as well as awards for director Luketic and Reese. However, if I were to give an award to anyone in the film, it would have to be the one of the best dog performances I've ever seen...Elle's pooch Bruiser is a real surprise here, which is played by a dog (not sure what breed sorry) named Noone. And if I were going to give an Oscar to anyone it would be Sophie Carbonell's constumes, which have a lot of color and lush; she and Reese must be good friends, considering the fact she has worked with her on SWEET HOME ALABAMA, as well as LEGALLY BLONDE 2: RED, WHITE, AND BLONDE.
So, yes, folks, I bought into this extremely silly film 100% like many other people. Hilarious, with a great cast, if you haven't watched it, I highly recommend. By the way, I'm also writing an op today on LEGALLY BLONDE 2 today, seeing how I just bought it....I'm upset I even missed that one in the theaters. Thanx for reading, and your wonderful comments would be appreciated. Chris..Cheers!! :)))
Favorite Quote: "Oh, look, this is so cute there is a judge and everything!!!" xxx
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![Legally Blonde [DVD] [2001]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78531096.jpg)
18.11.2003 15:44
lol i thought this film was hilarious, was really disappointed with the second one though :( great op too x
14.11.2003 21:59
i loved this film! good op. x
10.11.2003 17:34
Thats my favourite quote too, some of the lines are classic. safe review x