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With her Harvard law degree and signature
French manicure in hand, not to mention the support of her fiancé
Emmett, Elle heads to Washington, D.C. to serve as a legislative aide to
animal lover, and sponsor of an animal-rights bill authored by Elle,
Representative Victoria Rudd. Hailed by Rudd as a brilliant legal
mind, in one film's funniest running jokes, Rudd and Elle could be the
same person - blonde, perky and pixiesque - just separated by 30 or so
years. But trying to win over staid and stoic politicians with
personalities as dark as their suits, is no easy task for this pink
powderpuff and she relies on friends both old and Nu (that's Delta Nu!)
as she fights to give a voice to those who can't and ultimately, a voice
to those who forgot they had one.
Written by newcomer Kate Kondell and
based on a story by "Down With Love" writers Eve Ahlert and
Dennis Drake, we are inundated with blonde jokes, fashion jokes,
shopping jokes, political jokes, but they work. ("I taught
Bruiser how to shop on-line. I think I can handle Congress.";
"This is just like C-SPAN, except it's not boring").
And while Kondell has remained true to the original formula and
characters, she does a nice job of balancing the fluff with the added
layer of the expected cold, callousness of Washington. Where she
falls short, however, is in her idealistic portrayal of Congress.
Hey, just because you love your dog and your dog turns out to be gay
doesn't make a politician stand up and say "Hallelujah!"
But while this idealism is not how the system works, it is how it should
work and on that level, may prove inspiring to young girls across
America as Jimmy Stewart was to so many in his generation with "Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington."
Returning characters are aplenty which
helps retain the integrity of the franchise and none is more loved than
Moonie the Chihuahua who returns as Bruiser Woods. Reese
Witherspoon with her enchanting ebullience is back as Elle together with
Luke Wilson as the adoring and supportive Emmett. The
indefatigable Jennifer Coolidge returns as hair stylist Paulette and
Jessica Cauffiel and Alanna Ubach as best friends and Delta Nu sisters
Margot and Serena. But, it's the new faces that make you sit up
and take notice. Sally Field is ideal as Victoria Rudd. With
the effervescence of Gidget, the steel of Norma Rae and a touch of the
Wicked With of the West, Field adds a delicious side to her persona and
that of Rudd showing what time and politics can do to pink perkiness.
Dana Ivey, who we last saw as the stoic legal eagle mother of Sandra
Bullock in Two Weeks Notice," goes for the gusto here as
Chairperson Libby Hauser and is uproariously funny, never moreso than
when doing the Delta Nu cheer in a beauty salon. Equally strong is
Bruce McGill as hard-line Alabama Republican Stan Marks whose Rottweiler
falls in love with Bruiser. But perhaps the two best additions are
Regina King and Bob Newhart. King delivers a balanced blend of
officious arrogance and honesty while Bob Newhart, key the story in his
role as doorman Sidney Post is, well, what can we say - perfect - with
his banal sense of humor and impeccable timing.
In only his second major outing, director
Charles Herman-Wurmfeld does an adequate job of putting the pieces
together but falls short, due in large part to the obviously
cheap-looking production values (fashion aside, of course). The
Utah State Capitol just doesn't quite cut it as the U.S. Capitol nor
does the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center quite work as an animal
testing lab named V.E.R.S.A.C.E. I think that part of
Witherspoon's $15,000,000.00 salary may have been put to better use to
improve the production values of what is an otherwise enjoyable film.
But one area where no expense was spared
was in fashion, hair and make-up. Sophie Carbonell returns as
costume designer and outdoes herself with help from some of the top
designers of our day (Versace, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis
Vuitton, Mikimoto, Oscar de la Renta, Ungaro and Prada to name a few),
not to mention showcasing some 50+ pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes. And
we can thank Anne Morgan and Brad Wilder for the impeccable hair and
make-up.
As the film itself encourages,
"Speak Up, America! Speak up for the home of the brave!
Speak up for the land of the free gift with purchase!" Speak
up and see "Legally Blonde 2." It's not rocket science
(hey, it's about a blonde, need we say more?). It's not deep
rooted (unless it's salon day). It's fluffy. It's fun.
It's pink. It's got cute shoes, cute clothes, a cute star and a
very very cute dog. Arf!
Elle Woods: Reese Witherspoon
Rep. Rudd: Sally Field
Sidney Post: Bob Newhart
Emmett Richmond: Luke Wilson
MGM presents a film directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld. Written by
Kate Kondell, based on the story and characters by Eve Ahlert, Dennis
Drake, Kate Kondell and Amanda Brown. Running time: 95 minutes. Rated
PG-13 (for some sex-related humor). |
