What’s Aged the Best?
Title; opening song; sparkly bikinis and early-2000s fashion; snooty-salesperson comeuppance; the comedic tone; supportive friendships; car-accident parking gag; dog growling at villains; Boston helicopter shots; courtroom-movie credentials
In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 00:38:40Read transcript
- The title is great and explains the movie.
- The opening song sets the mood, as with Suddenly I See in The Devil Wears Prada; 2000s theme songs like the Hills' Unwritten stepped up their game.
- Her sparkly, clearly non-waterproof bikinis are back as festival wear.
- The garish early-2000s fashion is a cautionary tale and time capsule; the daughter found only four of 40-plus outfits wearable now, including the pink top with low-rise jeans, the polka-dot internship dress and the new-representation pink suit.
- The belted green sweater at the start of law school is called her best outfit.
- The snooty salesperson who gets a comeuppance is a Pretty Woman homage.
- 'Law school is for people who are ugly, boring and serious' is funny; the lesbians-against-drunk-driving joke pushed the envelope for 2001.
- The tone has aged well because it mocks the right things without blonde shaming.
- The supportive friendships, including Elle and Jennifer Coolidge, are another reason it is not a rom-com.
- Elle causing a car accident while looking for the nail salon and her parking are funny.
- Dogs growling at villains, and nostalgic early-2000s Boston helicopter shots, though much was shot at USC.
- It is an underestimated, very funny courtroom movie, comparable to A Few Good Men, Allie McBeal and My Cousin Vinny.
- The Bend and Snap is also placed in aged best because it lives on in public consciousness.