Sunday Movie Review: Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde: A fun, timeless comedy about not judging a book by it’s cover.

Legally Blonde is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s a hilarious and heartwarming story of a blonde sorority girl who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School in an attempt to win him back. Along the way, she discovers her true potential and realizes her self-worth. This 2001 comedy stars Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, Selma Blair and Jennifer Coolidge in leading roles. It is an entertaining film that celebrates empowerment, friendship, and self-love. Here are some reasons why I love Legally Blonde and why you should watch it too!

The plot is unpredictable and entertaining.

Legally Blonde has a simple premise: Elle Woods wants to get back with her ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis), who dumped her because he thought she wasn’t intelligent enough to be with him. It is hurtful more so because she really loved him and imagined a life with him. She decides to follow him to Harvard Law School and win him back. Along the way, though she is often ridiculed for the way she looks and dresses, she makes new friends and discovers that she has more potential than she ever imagined, and that Warner never was really worth her time.

The plot may sound predictable and formulaic, but it’s actually full of twists and turns that keep us engaged. For example, Elle has to overcome many obstacles at Harvard, such as being kicked out of class by Professor Stromwell (Holland Taylor), being hit on by Professor Callahan (Victor Garber), being sabotaged by Warner’s fiancée Vivian Kensington (Selma Blair), and being assigned to defend Brooke Taylor Windham (Ali Larter), a famous fitness instructor accused of murdering her husband.

Elle also has some unexpected allies along the way, such as Emmett Richmond (Luke Wilson), Callahan’s assistant who becomes her love interest; Paulette Bonafonté (Jennifer Coolidge), a manicurist who becomes her best friend; Enid Wexler (Meredith Scott Lynn), a feminist activist who respects her; David Kidney (Oz Perkins), a quirky classmate who admires her; Margot (Jessica Cauffiel) and Serena (Alanna Ubach), her loyal sorority sisters; Bruiser Woods (Moonie), her adorable chihuahua; and even Vivian herself, who eventually becomes her friend after realizing that Warner is a jerk.

The message is inspiring and empowering.

Legally Blonde is not just a comedy but also a film with an important message: don’t judge people by their appearance or stereotype them based on their interests or background. Elle proves that being blonde does not mean being dumb or superficial; being interested in fashion does not mean being frivolous or shallow; being feminine does not mean being weak or dependent. She shows us that we can be ourselves without compromising our values or goals.

Legally Blonde also encourages us to pursue our dreams no matter what others think or say. Elle follows her heart despite facing rejection from Warner.

Reese Witherspoon’s Performance

Reese Witherspoon is the heart and soul of Legally Blonde. She delivers a funny, nuanced, and charming performance as Elle Woods, who goes from being underestimated and ridiculed to being respected and admired. Witherspoon makes us root for Elle as she faces challenges with optimism, confidence, and grace. She also shows us that Elle is not just a ditzy blonde who loves pink; she’s smart, kind, loyal, and passionate about what she does.

Witherspoon’s performance earned her critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. She also reprised her role in the sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red White & Blonde (2003) and returned for Legally Blonde 3 (2022).

The Supporting Cast

Legally Blonde has an amazing supporting cast that adds humor, depth, and diversity to the story. Some of the standout characters include:

• Paulette (Jennifer Coolidge), Elle’s manicurist who becomes her best friend and confidante. Paulette is hilarious, sweet, and sassy. She teaches Elle how to do the “bend-and-snap” move to attract men and helps Elle with her legal case. With Elle’s help she stands up to her ex-husband who took her dog away; and she finds love with a handsome UPS delivery guy.
• Emmett (Luke Wilson), Elle’s love interest who works as an associate at Professor Callahan’s law firm. Emmett is supportive, friendly, and down-to-earth; he sees past Elle’s appearance and recognizes her intelligence. Unlike Warner, he encourages her to pursue her dreams. He also defends her from Callahan’s sexual harassment and is there to guide her when she takes on her first case in court.
• Vivian (Selma Blair), Elle’s rival who is also Warner’s new girlfriend at Harvard Law School. Vivian starts off as cold-hearted, snobbish, and mean-spirited towards Elle. She is depicted as someone who tries to sabotage her academic success and mocks her fashion sense. Vivian is often mean and calls her names like “Malibu Barbie” or “Blondie”. However, as the movie progresses, Vivian realizes that Elle is not her enemy; she apologizes for her behavior and works to redeem herself.

If you’re looking for a movie that will make you laugh, cheer, and feel empowered, look no further than Legally Blonde.

Legally Blonde is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again and still enjoy every minute of it. So, take a cup of coffee, curl up under a soft blanket and watch this timeless, feel-good movie before you start of the next week.

Thank you for reading! 🙂

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