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Legally Blonde: A Bitter Residue
by Lawrence Friedman
I have to admit I found Legally
Blonde pretty amusing; and Reese Witherspoon was very appealing
(she was also terrific in Election). The story line, at one level,
is a fairly traditional one: about the underdog, the unlikely
person, the person nobody expects much from, who triumphs in
the end--in this case, the Valley Girl who conquers the Harvard
Law School.
 It's
good light entertainment; but it's important not to take it too
seriously. If you do, you bump into something quite negative.
Elle wins out over all the other law students (and lawyers and
teachers) because she's smart; but also became she has keen insights,
which come from her life as a ditsy, clothes-mad, superficial
and shallow woman and human being-- someone whose idea of stress
reduction is having her nails done. The movie does make fun of
her, yes, but affectionately-- more affectionately than the way
it treats the other students, except when Elle rescues them from
their total dorkdom. It's a movie which reflects America's anti-intellectualism.
Intellectual curiosity and broad culture are totally irrelevant
to achieving success-- even at the Harvard Law School. The movie
allows the audience to laugh at intellect and culture, even to
pity them; and to cheer for the success of a woman who, for all
her charm and brains, has neither intellectual curiosity nor
culture of any kind. It was great fun to watch; but it left a
slightly bitter residue in my mouth.
Posted September 21, 2001
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