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Legally Blonde poster

Legally Blonde

year 2001decade 00sdirector Robert Luketicgenre Comedy

96 minutes

Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Reese Witherspoon Elle Woods
Luke Wilson Emmett Richmond
Selma Blair Vivian Kensington
Matthew Davis Warner Huntington III
Victor Garber Professor Aaron Callahan
Jennifer Coolidge Paulette Bonafonté
Ali Larter Brooke Taylor-Windham
Linda Cardellini Chutney Windham
Holland Taylor Professor Elspeth Stromwell
Raquel Welch Mrs. Windham-Vandermark
Bruce Thomas UPS Guy
Oz Perkins David Kidney

Legally Blonde | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonshost Juliet Litmanhost Amanda Dobbinsproducer Craig Horlbeck format 20th anniversary
Explore episodeClose episode

Roger Ebert's review

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:59Read transcript
  • Ebert gave the film three stars and wrote that it is impossible to dislike.
  • He wrote that Witherspoon effortlessly animated the material with sunshine and quick wit; the hosts agree and call that Reese in a nutshell.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Harvard admissions video essay

In the discussion (14)
Approx. transcript time · 00:27:52Read transcript
  • The breakup scene is a first candidate: the sorority sisters set up an expected proposal and the boyfriend says he needs to marry a Jackie, not a Marilyn.
  • The breakup scene sets the tone of defying expectations and presents Warner tidily, but is not this participant's most rewatchable pick. — Juliet Litman
  • The Harvard admissions montage is nominated second; the LSAT buildup and her being carried around the sorority make a great seven minutes.
  • The one-woman costume party is enjoyed, though trusting Vivian shows she lacks people smarts; a counterpoint says she is the open-hearted one.
  • Asked who did the bunny costume first, the answer is probably this movie, though the bunny costume is in the Bridget Jones book. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Craig is asked to check whether this or Bridget Jones came out first; the 'frigid bitch ... constipated' line is praised, and Elle staying in costume all night.
  • The computer store bonding between Vivian and Elle, 'I have new representation', the murder confession and nailing the evidentiary hearing are further candidates.
  • The Bend and Snap scene feels important but from a different movie; it is placed in both aged best and aged worst and called probably the most rewatched but not a favorite.
  • The host's daughter asked why the Bend and Snap was in the movie.
  • One theory is that the Bend and Snap is the fulcrum for the musical adaptation; it also serves as the dance scene of 80s and 90s films geared toward women.
  • Footloose started the shoehorned dance scene, followed by My Best Friend's Wedding and 27 Dresses.
  • One pick is the Harvard admissions montage plus the leap of a first-year law student handling a murder trial.
  • The Harvard video essay is the pick: it has great one-liners and summarizes the movie in three minutes; the perm courtroom ending is also credited. — Amanda Dobbins
  • The others are right, but the preferred scene is the near-montage of her becoming a serious person, taking off when she nails the evidentiary hearing. — Juliet Litman

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.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Sequels and a planned Legally Blonde 3; Bend and Snap nail-salon scene; no suitors for Elle; lecherous law professor; pool-boy stereotype; reshot ending; Bruiser the Chihuahua

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 00:48:17Read transcript
  • The 2003 sequel Red, White and Blonde, a 2009 direct-to-DVD spinoff and the musical preceded a Legally Blonde 3 reportedly coming next year with Reese and Mindy Kaling involved; it feels like a mistake.
  • The Bend and Snap nail-salon scene is really bad and unappealing, though it became its own phenomenon.
  • Nobody hits on Elle except Luke Wilson and the lecherous professor; at Harvard she would be asked out constantly.
  • The horny law professor would not happen in a 2021 version and is visible coming for 90 minutes.
  • The pool boy gay stereotype is the part most criticized, was a flaw 20 years ago and is not funny.
  • The reshot ending is poorly done, with a wig and a long zoom on her face; it could have ended after the trial with the epilogue.
  • Bruiser is added late: Chihuahuas are very turn of the century, evoking Taco Bell.

Casting What-Ifs

Christina Applegate as Elle; Chloë Sevigny as Vivian

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:57Read transcript
  • The film would be good with Applegate, perhaps not as great as with Reese.
  • Reese is so tied to the movie and her career that Applegate is hard to imagine.
  • The strong writing raises whether anyone would have become a star in the role.
  • Reese almost lost the part because of her Tracy Flick shadow and needed several auditions.
  • Chloe Seveny as Vivian would be awesome.

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

The UPS guy

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:55:09Read transcript
  • Nominees include the guy Elle pretends to have dated and the man who claims Stephen Hawking stole his idea, the bad boyfriend in Bring It On.
  • A friend from the Brady movie in love with Marsha Brady, and the Breakfast Club janitor as Coolidge's ex.
  • The award goes to the UPS guy, whom the speaker always knew as Valerie's lecherous stepdad from an earlier TV series (show name garbled in the transcript as '902 and 0').

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:56:14Read transcript
  • Selma Blair is nominated: she is the same in every movie and her villain moments are unimpressive; the nomination is called a good one.
  • The category is hard because everyone overacts as the point of the movie.
  • Almost Jennifer Coolidge, as some of her line deliveries are a little bit much. — Juliet Litman
  • Coolidge's part in the Bend and Snap is said to cloud her performance; Selma Blair is famous without a clear reason; giving the award to the Bend and Snap scene is floated.

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:58:56Read transcript
  • Coolidge is the heavy favorite; Bruiser the dog is in the mix for being used properly.
  • Luke Wilson is nominated for having nothing to do yet being charming.
  • Allie Larder is picked for the liposuction reveal and her trial outfits.
  • Larder is compared to 80s Kelly Preston as someone who should have been a bigger star.
  • Coolidge is picked because she became a big piece of the movie's story.

Recasting Couch

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:01:27Read transcript
  • Jennifer Garner replaces Selma Blair as the villain; Garner should have played more villains.
  • Matthew Davis as Warner is not hot here but is in Blue Crush.
  • Ryan Felipe is proposed as Warner to bring in the real husband.
  • Objections: he is not tall enough, and the part needs someone stoic and wooden.
  • Josh Dumel is suggested and affirmed as really good for the role.
  • Patrick Dempsey for the Luke Wilson part is liked but conflicts with Sweet Home Alabama, so 'you can't do that'.
  • Warner is confusing: the waspiness makes him unappealing.

Half-Assed Internet Research

Reese's sorority research; 40 hairstyles; Reese kept her costumes; school-name refusals; reshot London ending with wigs; Bruiser's performer Mooney

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:11Read transcript
  • Reese researched the character by studying sorority girls on campus.
  • Guess of Elle's hairstyle count: 32. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Guess of Elle's hairstyle count: 12. — Juliet Litman
  • The count is 40.
  • True: Reese could keep all her costumes; her closet with them appeared on a Netflix organization show.
  • USC and Stanford refused their names; the University of Chicago declined over the harassing professor, so they chose Harvard.
  • The victory-kiss ending was reshot in London; Reese and Luke Wilson wore wigs.
  • The Chihuahua who played Bruiser, Mooney, died in 2016 at 18.

Apex Mountain

Pink-scented resumes; Selma Blair and Reese Witherspoon pairing

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:21Read transcript
  • Not Reese's apex, since she won an Oscar; Matthew Davis peaks with Blue Crush.
  • IBM ThinkPads appear across law school scenes, but the orange MacBook stole its thunder.
  • The Selma Blair and Reese Witherspoon pairing peaked here.
  • Luke Wilson's apex is probably Old School, not this.
  • Harvard's movie apex is The Social Network, over Good Will Hunting; Coolidge's is American Pie.
  • Pink-scented resumes are the Apex Mountain; resumes should be one page.
  • The resume scent is guessed as perfume, baby powder or lavender.
  • Not Allie Larder's apex: Heroes versus Varsity Blues is argued.
  • Chihuahuas: no, Taco Bell.
  • Asked for any other Apex Mountains, the Australian director is floated; the following 'Yeah' only confirms his name (transcribed 'Cukovic' and 'Vukatech'), not an Apex verdict, so he is not counted as an affirmative answer.

Picking Nits

No dates for Elle; 179 LSAT; Warner unaware of her admission; lack of diversity; sudden murder confession; the name Chutney; slow perm realization; impossible video application; unauthorized practice of law; Ali Larter's liposuction; the fitness instructor's Boston marriage

In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 01:10:11Read transcript
  • Elle not getting more dates in first-year law school.
  • A 179 LSAT seems too high for what the film establishes; the film is confused about whether Elle knows she is smart.
  • The film may view standardized tests as gameable.
  • Warner would know Elle got into Harvard Law; counter that he is dumb.
  • Harvard Law looks all white, like Melrose Place.
  • Linda Cardalini's character confesses too fast; the name Chutney is unfair.
  • Asked whether she understood the perm reveal, she did not, having never had a perm, and appreciated how Elle's reveal explains the science. — Amanda Dobbins
  • Someone who has had around 30 perms would realize where Elle is going much sooner and would not admit to washing her hair after a perm.
  • A video essay application was not possible then; Elle had no authority to practice law in Massachusetts.
  • Allie Larder's character getting liposuction at around 25 to 28 is odd.
  • How a young LA fitness instructor marries an older Boston rich man is questioned.
  • He could have been made the Celtics owner. — Bill Simmons
  • She could have been a dancer on the team, or he could be Bob Kraft.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Older Elle legal procedural with Reese

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:15:12Read transcript
  • Don't give them ideas; they've already done everything with the IP including a musical, though the host's daughter would watch.
  • Reese as Elle at her current age running a firm in a case-of-the-week procedural, like The Good Wife.
  • Not a recast with a young Elle; she mentors new talent.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Did Bruiser invent dog television?

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:18Read transcript
  • Did Bruiser invent dog television, like DirecTV's calming dog channel?
  • It is channel 562; Murph seems calmed by it, but would crush Bruiser.

More from the conversation

The show is heading toward 200 movies (about 192 or 193); a third Heat rewatch or another milestone gimmick is floated.
Approx. transcript time · 00:01:24Read transcript
All episodes are on the Spotify archives; the podcast started around summer 2017, roughly a four-year anniversary.
Approx. transcript time · 00:01:24Read transcript
A trailer cold open plays before the episode is framed as Legally Blonde's 20th anniversary.
Approx. transcript time · 00:02:39Read transcript
Amanda first saw it at 17 with two blonde friends; this is when Reese went mainstream for her.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:17Read transcript
Young Reese is the best version of the character who manipulates her surroundings; she is relatable as a privileged, initially ditsy blonde.
Approx. transcript time · 00:04:30Read transcript
Emma Stone is the closest alternative Elle; Reese feels overqualified and the opening echoes Clueless.
Approx. transcript time · 00:05:58Read transcript
Reese's early career runs from Man in the Moon through Freeway, Fear, Pleasantville, Cruel Intentions and Election before this film, with an Oscar four years later.
Approx. transcript time · 00:07:03Read transcript
A Times piece says Christina Applegate turned down Elle; her career revived with Anchorman.
Approx. transcript time · 00:09:01Read transcript
The film comes from Amanda Brown's 2001 novel about Stanford Law, made quickly with a first-time Australian director; it moves fast at about an hour 40.
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:35Read transcript
The sequel was not nearly as good.
Approx. transcript time · 00:11:27Read transcript
It is called a coming-of-age story rather than a rom-com; the original ending reportedly had a kiss with Luke Wilson that audiences rejected.
Approx. transcript time · 00:12:23Read transcript
Luke Wilson's love interest has no connection scene; handsome stars playing the love interest in female-led films is appreciated.
Approx. transcript time · 00:13:40Read transcript
A long rom-com era of professional women with messy lives gave way to Nancy Meyer; While You Were Sleeping is defended.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:24Read transcript
Possible future episodes include Sleepless in Seattle, a You've Got Mail redo, and a Titanic redo with Rose takes.
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:45Read transcript
Budget $18 million, gross $141 million, two Golden Globe nominations; director Robert Luketic (ASR Lukatik).
Approx. transcript time · 00:17:49Read transcript
Reese's claim that people weekly credit the film for law school is doubted as part of her Hello Sunshine brand.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:22Read transcript
A safari-party story: Reese lectured guests about a caged tiger, and Arnold Schwarzenegger later went to see it.
Approx. transcript time · 00:20:50Read transcript
Reese's career twists and her power over the book industry; her earlier company was Type A productions.
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:07Read transcript
Which role is most like Reese is debated; Elle's internship 'me!' is called a Tracy Flick face.
Approx. transcript time · 00:23:30Read transcript
The Morning Show is polarizing; Billy Crudup (ASR Crudip) is the reason to watch.
Approx. transcript time · 00:24:41Read transcript
A theory that A-list couples must stay level, applied to Krasinski and Emily Blunt.
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:31Read transcript
A digression on 27 Dresses and Heigl.
Approx. transcript time · 00:35:19Read transcript
Juliet's 10-year work anniversary and the Taft House at the start of the Ringer as her montage.
Approx. transcript time · 00:37:58Read transcript
A Few Good Men callback and a defensive Joe Galloway list.
Approx. transcript time · 00:47:17Read transcript
Closing: 20th-anniversary pieces; the only unnecessary scene is the five men letting her in; it has held up and has had long cable and streaming runs.
Approx. transcript time · 01:18:40Read transcript