Legally Blonde 2
Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) convinced
us in the first Legally Blonde that she’s more than just
pink and perky. This time she extends her effervescent persona
into the political realm in an upbeat ode to classic American
movies like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, with the final results
far more family friendly.
The Harvard law school graduate
is enjoying life at a prestigious legal firm and she’s
got a man ready to walk down the aisle. And yes, it’s
Emmett (Luke Wilson), Elle’s university beau from the
previous film. But just when all seems perfect, Elle discovers
a major oversight on her invitation list – the mother
of her dog, Bruiser. Tracking down the American-Chihuahua’s
lineage, Elle’s even more aghast to discover her beloved
canine's mother is jailed in a cosmetics testing lab.
Determined to not only free Bruiser’s
mom, but all of the nation’s animals used for laboratory
research, Elle puts her life on hold and heads for the Capitol.
There she finds a friend in Congresswoman Victoria Rudd (Sally
Field). While she is not quite as zealous about animal rights,
she at least offers Elle her political support along with
the help of her staff. But Rudd’s hardnosed employees,
especially senior assistant Grace (Regina King), view the
new vivacious member of their office – who comes complete
with her purse-sized doggie and pink desk dressings – with cynicism and disbelief.
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Labeled with the moniker “Capitol
Barbie,” Elle finds new hope from the most unlikely character
– her doorman Sid (superbly played by the most unlikely
of actors, Bob Newhart). After decades of brushing shoulders
with the Washington crowd, Sid opens a very different door
for Elle by filling her in on who’s who on the Hill.
Even better, Sid is a dog-lover and well aware of other influential
canine aficionados in DC. With this knowledge and little Bruiser
tucked under her arm, Elle’s renewed vigor is set to
convince America’s politicians to put aside their apathetic
attitudes toward animals.
If the first Legally Blonde wasn’t
quite comfortable for family viewing, it at least allowed
Reese Witherspoon to explore the challenge of confronting
one of the most stereotyped characters in our society: the
dumb blonde. While many other movies have failed at presenting
naïve characters that suddenly spout statements of intellectual
sophistication, both of these movies have used Elle’s
supreme knowledge of beauty products to create a believable
reason for our protagonist’s brilliance.
Surprisingly, this patriotic
feel-good summer release offers families much to celebrate.
Elle’s never failing determination is a great example
to never give up on our dreams. Bob Newhart’s character
and Elle’s somewhat unsophisticated friends remind us
that it’s often the “insignificant” people
in our lives who can become our greatest resources. Finally,
other characters in this movie must make difficult ethical
decisions between party loyalty and promotions, or doing what
they know is right.
Most movies set in the political
arena have an agenda of some sort, and this sequel has at
least two. The most obvious statement is the one championing
animal rights – and yes, it is legal in the US to use
animals for cosmetics testing. The other is promoting the
idea of natural homosexuality by depicting Bruiser the dog
as gay. (This characterization also motivates a moment of
sexually descriptive dialogue from a veterinarian’s assistant.)
Otherwise, this violence and
nearly profanity-free movie may make Legally Blonde 2: Red,
White, & Blonde the best “non-family” family
movie of the summer.
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