Blondes....do they have more fun than the rest of us? I don't know as I'm a redhead but why don't you ask one...or better yet, why don't you ask Elle Woods in:
LEGALLY BLONDE
***ACTORS/ACTRESSES***
Reese Witherspoon: Sweet Home Alabama, Election
Selma Blair: The Sweetest Thing, Cruel Intentions
Luke Wilson: Charlie's Angels, Old School
Matthew Davis: Blue Crush, Below
Victor Garber: Titanic, Annie
***CHARACTERS***
Elle Woods
Played by actress Reese Witherspoon. Elle is 100% blonde and proud of it! Elle lives in LA with her tiny little dog...Bruiser Woods. She loves everything about fashion, hair, makeup, everything that makes a girl a girl. Her signature colour is pink, she loves fancy dress, comes from a very rich family, was homecoming queen and with her faithful friends is a Delta Nu. When Elle sets her mind to something she'll achieve it, no matter what it takes and has the flashy sports car to pull it off! Watch out world! It's Elle Woods!
Emmett Richmond
Played by actor Luke Wilson. Emmett works for Professor Callahan in his law firm. He helps the Professor around campus and is a somewhat aspiring and sensible character. The guy next door....he's a sweetie!
Vivian Kensington
Played by actress Selma Blair. Oh my god what a snob! Vivian Kensington, part of one of those country clubs. This is a girl who wears anything but pink. Vivian wears checked clothes, a hair band in her hair, which is something you stopped wearing at 5 years old and an even worse hair cut. As prim and proper as she is, Vivian does have a nice side that eventually works it's way passed all the breeding.
Warner Huntington III
Played by actor Matthew Davis. Well the name says it all doesn't it! Warner comes from a long line of lawyers and senators and fully intends on keeping that tradition in the family. Warner is also Elle's boyfriend. He's good looking, drives the right car. Underneath he is a little selfish and only
seems to think about himself. Elle....what are you doing with him?!?
Professor Callahan
Played by actor Victor Garber. A Professor at Harvard Law School. Callahan is partner in his own law firm, in between solving cases, he teaches valuable lessons at Harvard Law School. Callahan is a tricky individual and certainly sly when it comes to solving the next case on the list. Callahan stops at nothing to get what he wants.....nothing.
***PLOT***
Elle Woods had the perfect life. She was part of a 'club' called Delta Nu, had a million friends as well as millions in the bank, a fast car and her expectation in life is to marry her perfect boyfriend Warner.
Until she was dropped, no dumped faster than an anvil by her boyfriend. Warner is going off to Harvard Law School and leaving Elle behind. The reason? Elle is just too blonde. Warner doesn't think Elle is serious enough about their relationship, let alone marriage!
A distraught Elle doesn't know what to do. She's never been dumped by a boyfriend before and she decides to get him back....how?
GET INTO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL!
Inside Elle's head:
Warner in law school + Elle in law school = serious relationship = Mr and Mrs Warner Huntington III!
Uh-Oh!
This isn't going to be easy for Elle and she has to get good SAT results to get into Harvard. After studying hard and an admissions video in a bikini, Elle gets into Harvard and sets her plan in motion......only to be stopped dead in her tracks by everyone around her.
No-one likes Elle and the worst part is that Warner is now engaged to meanie Vivian Kensington from the Country Club! Will Elle stand for that? Will she heck as like!
Elle sets about stealing him back, but she's got other things on her plate.
Professor Callahan, owning his own law firm is defending Brook Windham who was charged with the murder of her husband and is standing trial. After Elle is picked to help Callahan with the case, Elle realises that Brook is a fellow Delta Nu! Elle also knows that she did not murder her husband and has to help before she goes to jail.
Elle now faces the difficult task of trying to prove Brooks innocence and getting her boyfriend back, not to mention trying to prove that she is smarter and worth more credit than people give her.
If you want to know what happens....watch the film!
***QUOTES***
WOMAN: "So what's this Vivian got that you don't got? Three t**s?"
ELLE: "No I'm going to Harvard Law School!"
MARGOT: "You mean like on vacay? (vacation) let's all go....."
MARGOT AND SERENA: "ROAD TRIP! AAAHHHHH!!!!!"
ELLE: "I'm studying for the L-SATS"
SERENA: (whispering to Margot) "My cousin had that, apparently you get a really bad rash on your....you know."
MAROGT: "Ohhhh"
ELLE: ".....I try no to look so constipated."
ELLE: "She's lying!"
EMMETT: "And you know this for a fact?"
ELLE: "Did you see the icky brown colour of her hair?"
***MY PERSONAL OPINION***
I loved this film. The comedy was not so much in the dialogue but how it is excecuted. Reese shows her versatility. Watching her on screen, it's impossible not think how tired she must have been. Reese's character is certainly draining to play as Elle is a very vibrant and on the go character. The hair by the way? That is all Reeses' and not a hair extension in sight!
This film certainly reminded me of Clueless with many similarities between Cher and Elle. Both rich, both into fashion and both wanting to make their mark on the world. Reese has certainly filled the shoes for this role and continues to do so in the sequel film.
The supporting casting was good but not great. I'm not sure that Luke Wilson or Matthew Davis were entirely right for this film. It seemed like a waste of their time and seeing as how the focus is somewhat on one actor more than the other....they didn't impress me that much. I don't really find either of them that attractive. Victor Garber on the other hand, displayed a side of his acting skills that I have never seen before. We're all used to seeing him on Titanic or playing Daddy Warbucks in Annie. That is the nice sweet side of him, but in Legally Blonde we see sarcasm and a slightly darker side of him.
The soundtrack for this film was ok but not brilliant. The main theme song which is sung at the beginning and the end of the film is perfect, but on it's own as a single it wouldn't sell well. Hoku did a good job but it's not something I would listen to if it wasn't on the soundtrack and the film, I wouldn't bother with it.
Overall a good film, one to stop in with a huge box of choccies and some popcorn. The 12 certificate on this film is really only for some minor bad language but nothing too bad. The kids and adults will like watching it, just like me...and I'm a redhead!
But what does everyone else think? If you are still not convinced by what I think, try these guys:
"Witherspoon’s ability to be goofy, smart and loveable all at the same time takes what might have been a tired and silly comedy and transforms it into a satisfying laugh-fest."
Brian Webster, APOLLO GUIDE
"As sweet, fluffy and pink as cotton candy -- too much can make you sick, but at 90 minutes, it goes down pretty easy."
Pam Sitt, SEATTLE TIMES
"Legally Blonde" is one of those rare modern comedies that does not rely on gross-out humor or slapstick for its laughs."
Robert Roten, LARAMIE MOVIE SCOPE
***TECHIE BITS***
Title: Legally Blonde
Film Makers: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
DVD/VHS: Both
Price: £5.97 from Amazon!
Where to buy: Amazon, Ebay, HMV, WHSmiths etc
Trailer: Yes
Poster: Several
Soundtrack: Yes
Running time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Certificate: 12
***DVD EXTRAS***
As I have this film on DVD, I'll give you a list of the special features!
Most of this DVD is in pink! What else would you expect?
Audio Commentary Featuring Director Robert Luketic, Reese Witherspoon and Producer Marc Platt
Deleted Scenes With Director's Introduction
Featurette: The Hair That Ate Hollywood
(Elle has so many different hairstyles in this film that they made a little feature on it!)
Music Video: "Perfect Day" By Hoku
Legally Blonde Soundtrack Advertising Spot
Trivia Track (English only)
Original Theatrical Trailer
Subtitles: English, Danish, Croatia, Swedish, Portuguese, Slovenia, Finnish, Polish, Hebrew, Norwegian, Czech
Hard of Hearing: English
Language: English
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As ever the choice is yours kids!
Happy trails
Leila :)
25.01.2005 12:56
Fantastic review, hon, two thumps up! And in answer to the "do blondes have more fun?" question - I can't speak for anyone else but my life definitely got better after I dyed my hair blonde age fifteen! Ten years later and I've never gone back to being a brunette! paula x
21.12.2004 00:46
havent seen this but would like to! another great review you have here! Em x
25.10.2004 10:52
great review