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.

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.

Recasting Couch

Jennifer Garner in Selma Blair's role; Josh Duhamel as Warner

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.

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.

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.