A film does not have to be perfect for it to be timeless.
Two decades ago, the writing duo behind 10 Things I Hate About You, Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith, collaborated in adapting the Amanda Brown novel Legally Blonde, a semi-autobiographical story about a California girl who goes to law school. Newcomer Robert Luketic signed on to direct. Reese Witherspoon became Elle Woods.
For twenty years, Legally Blonde has remained a part of the conversation, and not just in the traditional sense of a franchise. Sure, the film’s sleeper hit status — it made over $140 million worldwide on an $18 million budget — granted it a 2003 sequel and then a 2007 Broadway musical adaptation as well as an inconsequential 2009 direct-to-DVD spin-off. The sequel is passable, with fun moments, and the musical got mixed reviews but still nabbed a few Tony nominations. As recently as last year, it was announced that Mindy Kaling and Dan Goor are writing Legally Blonde 3, said to be scheduled for release in 2022. But the impact of Legally Blonde exceeds the debatable successes and failures of its sequels and spin-offs. Fans hardly need to pay attention to those, unless they want to — the original hasn’t really aged.
Of course, there are some jokes that now raise an eyebrow; a few comments about weight and the desirability of a nonexistent butt place the film squarely in its early-aughts time. But the heart of the film is as relevant as ever, the energy a welcome respite, and the conflict all too familiar.
Legally Blonde is a punch of positivity with a simple, strong core. It feels wrong to try to over-explain or praise the movie for its legitimacy. The question of being taken seriously comes up within the narrative. At the beginning of the film, Elle expects her boyfriend, Warner (Matthew Davis), to propose. Instead, he dumps her, telling her he needs to be “serious” when he goes to Harvard Law. Later, her father uses the same word to describe the school when Elle insists on applying: “Law school is for people who are boring and ugly and serious,” he says, “And you, button, are none of those things.”
Elle’s quest to become a law student starts as an attempt to win Warner back. But as the film progresses, her character arc becomes less about how other characters perceive her and much more about how she views herself. Instead of adapting to fit some standard of male significance, Elle overrides the value entirely. Being serious just does not matter. Legally Blonde is the same way. The film eschews the severe in favor of fun. It questions why you would value the metric at all. Law school stiffs are the joke, not Elle Woods.
Despite the film’s levity, it still touches upon serious subjects when the story calls for it. All these years later, some of these plot details are still quite resonant. In the third act, Elle nearly drops out of school because her mentor, Professor Callahan (Victor Garber), comes onto her. It’s a gross and heartbreaking scene, especially in the few minutes when Elle’s rival-turned-friend, Vivian (Selma Blair), believes Elle is involved with her professor. The conflict is resolved and Callahan is ousted from the ultimate legal glory, but the situation is still a familiar reality for many young women in the workplace.
There are even parallels of gender-based harassment and microaggressions in the production of the film itself, as Reese Witherspoon recalled in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. In the casting process, Witherspoon was told that she was dangerously close to being typecast as a shrew, thanks to her role in the 1999 film Election. Her manager advised her to “dress sexy” for a casting meeting.
There are rosier plot elements that also stand the test of time, however. The redemption arc of Vivian, for one, is a treasure in this movie. Her recognition of the strength of Elle’s conviction in a room full of soulless lawyers — her fiancé Warner included — is a special moment in the film. In a different movie, Vivian may have remained a jealous, nagging antagonist, but not in Legally Blonde. Jennifer Coolidge’s portrayal of Paulette, the scorned manicurist who befriends Elle, also holds strong. Elle meets Paulette right after she learns of Warner’s engagement. In her fragile state, she retreats to a place of safety: the nail salon. There, Elle and Paulette can share their tribulations, feel supported, and help each other grow. In Elle’s case, this means continuing on her journey in the law and self-discovery; for Paulette, it’s about gaining confidence and standing up for what she wants. In the storylines of Vivian and Paulette, Legally Blonde highlights the vibrancy and necessity of female friendship and understanding.
The genuine quotability of Legally Blonde is another reason for its cultural longevity. At the time, reviews of the comedy within the film were mixed — The Hollywood Reporter called it “surprisingly short on genuine humor,” while Roger Ebert said he “smiled a lot…[and] laughed a few times.” But there’s something about those lines, and (for the most part) Reese Witherspoon’s magnetic delivery, that just stick around. In a scene where Elle first speaks with Warner after they both arrive at Harvard, Witherspoon shifts from a tone of bubblegum excitement to sharp sarcasm mid-sentence: “This is gonna be just like senior year, except for funner.” Many of the quotes are at once gif-able, empowering, and evergreen — a fine line to tread.
Legally Blonde also survives because of its visual iconography, which can be attributed to the hairstyling and costume departments. Elle’s daring outfits and bouncy blonde waves have been etched into the cultural memory. From her first-day-at-Harvard green velvet smoking jacket to her fuchsia fur coat and sequined bikini ensemble, Elle Woods makes a cinematic fashion statement in every scene. The movie also boasts a killer 2000s soundtrack with earworms for days and enough glitzy pop to keep the plot rolling. These elements are simultaneously dated — the setting is 2001, there is no doubt — and abiding because they are so rooted in time and feeling. It’s a comforting, effortless watch.
Legally Blonde is a modern classic. It’s a cultural touchstone and star-solidifier for Reese Witherspoon with a simple, powerful message at its core: you should always be true to yourself. Well, that, and you should never get your hair wet within 24 hours of a perm, at the risk of deactivating the ammonium thioglycolate.
