There’s no deliberate reason for why I’ve avoided Legally Blonde all these years. I enjoy Reese Witherspoon’s work — even though I think her strengths are more suited for drama than comedy — but there never seemed a particular reason I needed to see this movie. On the eve of college graduation, though, and having recently sat through the dreck that was Hot Pursuit, I figured it was time to finally give this 2001 comedy a shot.
As bubbly and perky as an early 2000s comedy can be — without getting nauseatingly so — it’s easy to see what people found appealing here. When it wants to be, it’s charming and sincere and focuses on a protagonist who means well and becomes a strong female figure once she learns to command her voice in relationship to her skills. It’s also guided well from Witherspoon’s charisma. Even though the actress doesn’t quite have a firm comedic foot unless Alexander Payne guides her in Election, here she wholeheartedly commits to Elle Woods and makes her goals clear. But she does so with more layers than you’d expect from these bottom-line mainstream comedies.
But that’s where Legally Blonde also goes head-on into its problems. At its heart, this is a studio production and, as such, it can’t help but be belittled by such a by-the-books approach. Even with the magnetism the film finds with its lead performer, its flat narrative and overly predictable arc is so distractingly familiar that there’s little to engage on to. Every beat is familiar and every character motivation already has been played out a million times before, and often better. The performers do (mostly) fine jobs, particularly Witherspoon as I said before, but there’s little evidence here to make a completely convincing case. You see what I did there?
Props should be given, however, for how Legally Blonde is smarter than your average female-lead mainstream comedy at the time. Much like Bring It On, the approach appears genric but there’s more sophistication and wit at the center that becomes more creditable after a shaky opening. Although this time, such logic is played into its conception. As we see a sea of sorority girls in skimpy clothes and tattered with make-up in our opening moments, we’re lead to believe this will be another airhead college comedy, only to be proven wrong when we learn our sorority-adored lead character Elle Woods (Witherspoon) is not only lively but assured. She’s no dizzy blonde: she has a 4.0, works hard and more often than not believes in herself and her ambitions.
All this said, to know her main dream in life, it would seem, is to get married to the politically driven Warner (Matthew Davis). As such, she spends her days waiting eagerly for his proposal to find peace in life, and that's fairly disappointing. After establishing such a strong character, to have her life be determined at the fate of one man seems regressive. Then to make the inciting incident of going to Harvard determined not for having a better life but to get back her man when she breaks up with her “Marilyn” to find “his Jackie” ultimately seems troublesome to say the least.
As the film progress, though, it’s safe to say Elle becomes a more empowering figure. She’s a little overeager and gullible, sure, but she’s not bumbling or naïve. Among the things Legally Blonde does best is establish early on how Elle is both smarter and more confident than she looks. She loves fashion and accessories, but she ultimately coasts by not only her looks but by her determination and skills. These virtues at very endearing and add a genuine sweetness to this highly-sugared comedy.
In the midst of this, however, we’re also forced to see our learning lead character interact with some of the most stereotypically drawn supporting characters from the past decade. Sorority sisters Margot (Jessica Cauffiel) and Serena (Alanna Ubach) never feel genuine, and often feel forced into the narrative at large. Elle’s eventual love interest Emmett (Luke Wilson), meanwhile, seems little more than a figure head to help Elle in her endeavors, which somewhat undermines her efforts. And then there’s Enrique (Greg Serano), who may be among the most offensive gay characters to grace the screen in years. Even in just five or so minutes time, I feel thankful we leave in a world were homosexual characters are not reduced to such low standards. Hopefully. Don’t prove me wrong on this one beyond the Happy Madison wheelhouse, Hollywood.
Moreover, it’s a shame a performer as dependable as Selma Blair — who plays Warren’s finance and Elle’s primary antagonist (at least for the majority of the film), Vivian — couldn’t seem less interested with what she has to do her. It’s not hard to understand why she would be disinterested, however, as Vivian is often dissolved to little more than a flat antagonist or a plot elevator for Elle. But even though the actress — whose proven herself vulnerable and dependable in Storytelling and the Hellboy movies — is reduced to little more than a scowl and later a polite background smile, her wry sense of humor and nuanced character work would certainly play well against the often-broad comedy director Robert Luketic's debut dutifully packs if she cared in the slightest.
As based on the book of the same name by Amanda Brown, and written for the screen by Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith — whose track record ranges from pretty good (Enchanted) to downright terrible (The Ugly Truth) — Legally Blonde is very formulaic but it’s by no means terrible. Were it not so broad and familiar, it’s likely this cheeky comedy could have made more of an impact and not just a passable watch. As is, however, it’s better than most of Witherspoon’s mainstream comedies. Not only is the material stronger, but her performance is sternly guided and ferociously likable. That’s more than one can say about, say, Sweet Home Alabama, This Means War or especially this weekend’s Hot Pursuit.