Legally Blonde 2

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Sally Field, Bob Newhart and Luke Wilson
Screenplay by Kate Kondell
Directed by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
website: www.mgm.com

IN SHORT: same old same old sequel. [Rated PG-13 for some sex-related humor. minutes]

Parents note that the PG-13 rating is garnered by two inappropriate bits of language that hit early in the film (as opposed to the usual four letter cusswords that would push the envelope). One they've passed the rest of the film is perfectly PG. There must be statistical dollars in that "-13" addition because the usage is so out of place that we feel forced to warn y'all.

Whereas the first flick was delightfully deliriously funny, this one fall flat more times than we would've expected. But then, we're really really old (in comparison to our 13 years-old niece who came to the screening with us. Those folk at MGM studying demographic responses should be delirious themselves, as Sherri gave LB2 a hearty thumbs up. The actual word was excellent, or something, our hearing may be as shot as our sense of humor. Reese Witherspoon is still delightful but there's nothing more than an idea to play with now that the contrast of ditz-not a ditz has been plowed under.

Bringing bounce and sparkle to gray suited DC, who no one talks with a straight face and backstabbing is an Olympic sport comes Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) who passes on the Nancy or Hilary or Monica looks and arrives at Capitol Hill offices of Rep. Rudd (Sally Field) in pure pink Jackie. Her dog Bruiser is similarly attired, almost a sure sign that the mutt will wind up stealing the show, which he will. Elle's boundless enthusiasm makes an instant enemy in Rudd's assistant Grace Stoteraux (Regina King), who's already spent two years in the mines (so to speak) doing the Rep's dirty work.

We admit the idea of dropping the lovable not-a-ditz into the dog eat dog world of Washington politics is brilliant. It seems, to us, as if this film's creators have decided that the running joke of Elle being four quarts short of a full gallon has run its course and, while they make efforts to recreate the fun of the character overcoming all obstacles with determination and a well tailored outfit, it is a half hearted effort. The jokes fall flat and the old adage about not working with animals comes to the fore as the doggie called Bruiser steals the show.

Elle has decided that the once abandoned Bruiser should find his mother so she hires a PI who, with remarkable ease, finds mom in an animal testing lab. Long story short, Elle is determined to get a law passed banning animal testing which gets her dumped from a law firm abut to make her partner (so much for movie #1) and ensconced in the Halls of our Capitol. Her rival in the office, Grace, doesn't like the fact that this, uh, blonde can blast through long determined rules of DC behavior which Elle does with remarkable ease thanks to a gimmick we'll not spill. There's one more funny twist in the film and we've already hinted at that. Those who plant will understand.

Elle's only new friend in DC is the doorman at her apartment complex, Sidney Post (Bob Newhart) who, considering Newhart's history of making bland characters hysterically funny, is remarkably uninteresting. Emmett Richmond (Luke Wilson), Elle's beaux, makes brief appearances and the movie speeds along, all the while behaving like an in-joke it is sharing with the ticket buyers. Like a lot of sequels, this one tries to do exactly the same things as the original. Been there. Done that.

On average, a first run movie ticket will run you Ten Bucks. Were Cranky able to set his own price to Legally Blonde 2, he would have paid . . .

$4.00

Warnings of the first paragraph aside, plant the girls here. Better yet, rent for the family down the line.

	Click to buy films by Charles Herman-Wurmfeld
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