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Craig Younkin
DVD Review
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
By Craig Younkin Published February 21, 2004
US Release: July 2, 2003
Directed by: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
Starring: Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Sally Field , Bob Newhart
PG-13
Running Time: 95 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $89,884,000
Directed by: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
Starring: Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Sally Field , Bob Newhart
PG-13
Running Time: 95 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $89,884,000
C+
Supporting performances manage to squeeze out a few little laughs, but the running gag of Elle being smarter than people give her credit for was never really a joke that had a lot of steam.
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blue is another one of those light and airy vehicles for Reese Witherspoon to flaunt her talent. But unlike Sweet Home Alabama, her fans will not be disappointed by what she has to offer here, although they may find it a bit too familiar.
Like before, Witherspoon plays Elle Woods, the lawyer with the party planner sensibility. Since we left her, she has earned a promotion at her firm and is about to marry her former Harvard professor, Emmit Richmond (Luke Wilson). In planning the wedding, she has spared no expense, even hiring a private investigator to find her dog Bruiser's biological mother. Just when the results come back, it is revealed that his mother is being tested on in a cosmetic's laboratory. Elle tries to fight this by going to her boss, but instead finds herself out of the job when she learns that the cosmetic?s company is affiliated with her firm.
Elle realizes that to make her voice truly heard, she must head to Washington in order to fight for the rights of animals who cannot speak for themselves. She winds up working for congresswoman Victoria Rudd (Sally Field) as a lobbyist, but finds that not all are just going to warm up to her sunny and pink disposition; to get Bruiser's bill passed, she will have to work for it. To do so, she gets help from a hotel concierge (Bob Newhart), hairdresser Paulette (Jennifer Coolidge), and many of her other sorority sisters.
Legally Blonde 2 works for very few reasons, but of course the biggest is Reese Witherspoon's everlasting cute factor and perkiness and her ability to make Elle more than just an air-headed cardboard cutout. The film also adds more depth to the character by making her a social activist, and there is surprisingly a well-meaning message about speaking up for what's right that comes across without the least bit of pretension or sentimentality.
Only where this film falls short is in the laughs department. Supporting performances by Jennifer Coolidge and Bob Newhart manage to squeeze out a few little laughs, but the running gag of Elle being smarter than people give her credit for was never really a joke that had a lot of steam. You realize that it has run its course long before the final credits start to roll.
Like before, Witherspoon plays Elle Woods, the lawyer with the party planner sensibility. Since we left her, she has earned a promotion at her firm and is about to marry her former Harvard professor, Emmit Richmond (Luke Wilson). In planning the wedding, she has spared no expense, even hiring a private investigator to find her dog Bruiser's biological mother. Just when the results come back, it is revealed that his mother is being tested on in a cosmetic's laboratory. Elle tries to fight this by going to her boss, but instead finds herself out of the job when she learns that the cosmetic?s company is affiliated with her firm.
Elle realizes that to make her voice truly heard, she must head to Washington in order to fight for the rights of animals who cannot speak for themselves. She winds up working for congresswoman Victoria Rudd (Sally Field) as a lobbyist, but finds that not all are just going to warm up to her sunny and pink disposition; to get Bruiser's bill passed, she will have to work for it. To do so, she gets help from a hotel concierge (Bob Newhart), hairdresser Paulette (Jennifer Coolidge), and many of her other sorority sisters.
Legally Blonde 2 works for very few reasons, but of course the biggest is Reese Witherspoon's everlasting cute factor and perkiness and her ability to make Elle more than just an air-headed cardboard cutout. The film also adds more depth to the character by making her a social activist, and there is surprisingly a well-meaning message about speaking up for what's right that comes across without the least bit of pretension or sentimentality.
Only where this film falls short is in the laughs department. Supporting performances by Jennifer Coolidge and Bob Newhart manage to squeeze out a few little laughs, but the running gag of Elle being smarter than people give her credit for was never really a joke that had a lot of steam. You realize that it has run its course long before the final credits start to roll.
Craig's Grade: C+
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
'Legally Blonde 2' Articles
- Gareth's review B
July 1, 2003 Not only better than the original, but an enjoyable summer farce -- Gareth Von Kallenbach
