Reese Witherspoon in "Legally Blonde."

MOVIE INFORMATION

With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film a: Stars: Reese Witherspoon Director: Robert Luketic Rated: PG-13, with adult language and sexual references Length: 96 minutes

ROCHESTERCRITIQUE

Having seen this film, how would you rate it? 10 5 9 4 8 3 7 2 6 1

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(July 13, 2001) -- These days, anyone can be empowered. So why not Barbie?

That's the slight but amusing premise of Legally Blonde, a lightweight comedy about a California blonde who takes Harvard Law School by storm.

Because the film stars the remarkable Reese Witherspoon, it can't be dismissed out of hand. With her, Legally Blonde is modest fun, despite improbable contrivances -- and it might just be the guilty pleasure of the summer.

Witherspoon is Elle Woods, a California sorority queen who's always pretty in pink. "Whoever said orange was `the new pink' was seriously disturbed," she says.

She travels with a pert smile, a playful attitude -- and a tiny dog in a ruffled basket. Her guide through life is Cosmopolitan magazine, and her solution to stress is a comforting manicure.

As the film opens, Elle is on top of her L.A. world. She's convinced that her preppie boyfriend, Warner, is about to ask her to marry him, just before he heads east for Harvard Law.

Warner, though, has aspirations for the U.S. Senate. He dumps Elle, arguing that she's too blonde and too dumb: "I need a Jackie, not a Marilyn."

After tears, bonbons and a good manicure, Elle gets a bright idea: She'll also apply to Harvard, succeed in law school and marry Warner.

Up to this point, Legally Blonde is amusing satire, with the sparkling Witherspoon at center stage. But once Elle wangles her Harvard admission, Legally Blonde loses its edge and becomes a contrived sitcom.

Elle is far brighter than we've been led to believe, and she achieves enough self-confidence to leave Warner in the dust.

But to hit those points, director Robert Luketic and his writers make the characters jump through silly hoops, including one of the more unbelievable courtroom trials you're likely to see.

Despite early hopes that Legally Blonde would duplicate the dark wit of Witherspoon's Cruel Intentions or the edge of her Election, this film veers closer to the conventional comedy of My Cousin Vinny.

Witherspoon, though, remains true to her funny and surprisingly complex central character. Throughout the film, Elle shines with attitude, intelligence and an inability to be intimidated -- even by East Coast blue blood.

"I grew up in Bel Air, across the street from Aaron Spelling," she says. "I think most people would agree that's a lot better than some stinky old Vanderbilt."