Review: Legally Blonde

Robert Luketic thinks broader and gaudier than Alexander Payne and Wes Anderson.

Legally Blonde
Photo: MGM

Robert Luketic’s Legally Blonde is completely derivative of Amy Heckerling’s far superior Clueless. This dopey college comedy starring Reese Witherspoon is doused in bright pinks and comes replete with female punk anthems that blithely celebrate female empowerment. Elle Woods (Witherspoon) is rejected by her boyfriend and goes to Harvard to prove that she’s worthy of his attention. From fashion whore to legal eagle, Elle is all about style though it’s not long before she’s enlightened and discovers that one can be smart and still dress fierce. From battling sexual harassment to helping a nail salon stylist reclaim her dog from an ex-boyfriend, Elle slowly empowers herself. The film’s final scenes bring to mind My Cousin Vinny when Elle is forced to spearhead a murder trial. However dopey, Legally Blonde is remarkably mindful of Elle’s individualism, at least by Hollywood film standards. Still, the film’s comedic pacing is awkward at best. Luketic thinks broader and gaudier than Alexander Payne and Wes Anderson.

Score: 
 Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Selma Blair, Luke Wilson, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, Jennifer Coolidge, Holland Taylor, Raquel Welch  Director: Robert Luketic  Screenwriter: Karen McCullah Lutz, Kirsten Smith  Distributor: MGM  Running Time: 96 min  Rating: PG-13  Year: 2001  Buy: Video, Soundtrack

Ed Gonzalez

Ed Gonzalez is the co-founder of Slant Magazine. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle, his writing has appeared in The Village Voice, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications.

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