Film Review: Legally Blonde

Hollywood's latest attempt to dispel politically incorrect stereotypes of women...

In ten years' time you'll find yourself lounging in front of your widescreen TV one afternoon just after Christmas. The Beeb (if it is still in existence) will show "Legally Blonde" as its afternoon feature. How will it look then, and what will you make of it? You'll probably snigger at the dated Noughties dialogue. You'll wonder aloud if this movie was shot through a pink filter (it looks as if it was filmed inside a stick of rock). Most likely, you'll admire Reese Witherspoon.

Reese has opinions of herself as a luvvie and at the drop of a hat she witters on endlessly about her devotion to her Craft. She was dazzling in "Election" and, in fairness, she carries "Legally Blonde". More so than most modern features this movie is a one woman show. Aside from a walk on/lie in cameo by Raquel Welch the supporting cast are, in the main, nobodies. For most of "Legally Blonde" Witherspoon is the personification of ditsy. Without her energy and star quality "Legally Blonde" would have sunk like a stone.

The film's plot is wafer thin: blonde homecoming queen Elle Woods dines at a swish eaterie with preppy boyfriend (picture a prettied up Tom from Blink 182) expecting a proposal of marriage. Instead he dumps her, basically because she's as dumb as. He swans off to Law School at Harvard and she reckons that if she gets a law qualification he'll be deeply impressed and love her forever. It's a frothy movie based on a shallow premise. "Legally Blonde " is so fluffy it almost floats off the screen. The ending is predictable but the movie's direction is sharp and punchy. Laughs dry up a little as the movie progresses but "Legally Blonde"'s pace never relents and the time flies by.

Serious movie critics compare "Legally Blonde " to "Clueless" but I don't buy it. "Clueless" and its makers had a rather smug opinion of itself and in particular I read about a lot of old toffee about how it was based on a Bronte novel. "Legally Blonde" on the other hand is unpretentious, escapist, full-on Airhead, and is so insubstantial that it makes "Clueless" look like "Citizen Kane".

Enjoy.

Anthony Morrissey