You know when the opening credits of a movie start and you just know it will be something special? Enter Legally Blonde. “Perfect Day” by Hoku plays, and a sea of blonde cascades on the screen as Elle Woods, played by Reese Witherspoon, brushes her hair while carefully getting ready for her date with Warner, played by Matthew Davis. Everything looks bright and beautiful; anything is possible. On the surface, it may seem like your typical “rom-com,” but it’s not at all and so much more than that. The screenplay, based on the novel by Amanda Brown, was wonderfully written by two women, Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith. The movie was directed by Robert Luketic.
I was eleven years old when this movie was released. Almost every single Friday evening, my mom would drive me to the video store, and I was able to rent a movie for the weekend–sometimes two. This ritual was the most exciting part of my week. I’d run to the new release wall, praying to all the Blockbuster deities that there would be at least one copy left of my top choice movie for that week. As you can imagine, I was very excited to secure my copy of Legally Blonde. With the odds in my favor, I snatched up a DVD and watched it later with my mom when we got home.
I absolutely loved it. I belly-laughed. I teared up. I felt a complete sense of satisfaction and pride with every step Elle made forward–right until the very end of the major case she’s working on. The wrap up of it was beautifully executed, and it caught me by surprise the first time. I was delighted.
While watching this movie at eleven years old, I had no idea the effect it would have on me still to this day. I was entertained, and I loved the character of Elle Woods, but all that time I was seeing something I hadn’t really seen much before in my short eleven years. That cast was full of women. Strong and smart women, and they were all interacting with each other but about something other than men! Looking back now, I realize how rare that was to see in a movie. Sure, Elle went to Harvard Law to win Warner back from Vivian, but her evolution and growth was amazing. Soon she was determined and focused to be great at law school, not getting Warner back. By the middle of the movie, she really couldn’t have cared less about Warner. She and Vivian even became best friends, and Warner was left in the dust. The love story between Elle and Emmett (Luke Wilson) was a minor part of the movie. It didn’t focus on whether she ended up with him in the end or not. It was about her proving everyone wrong who thought she was a dumb blonde, that includes Warner by the way, who couldn’t even get into Harvard Law School on his own much less graduate with honors. This film is one of the ultimate “don’t judge a book by its cover” stories.
There are so many women my age now who are lawyers because of this movie, and I think that alone is something to be celebrated. It opened up their minds to this possibility which probably hadn’t occurred to them before. Elle is such a relatable character, and she brings new life and excitement to the world of law. It’s easy to see why these women were able to imagine themselves in her place. I even still have fantasies about becoming a lawyer every time I rewatch this movie. Elle is such a strong, astute, vivacious, and independent character. She is so quick-witted and also spends a lot of the movie helping other women. She’s a shining example of how important it is for women to help each other instead of competing for the scraps that may be thrown to them. No, I’m not just talking about the “Bend and Snap” (works every time), but hey, she was trying to give her friend the tools to be more confident in herself. She argues a case for a woman who was once in her sorority, and she helps her friend deal with her emotionally abusive ex-boyfriend and getting her dog back. Not to mention she helps Vivian while working on the case and commiserates with her about Warner’s and their professor’s sexist tendencies.
As a kid watching this movie, I saw and understood for the first time sexual harassment in the workplace and victim shaming when Vivian is angry and accuses Elle of sleeping her way onto the case. It opened my eyes to how possible it is that men in positions of power can take advantage of women, and how society at large often views them as disposable. Elle is constantly underestimated because of her looks and sex, and she is constantly striking down all of those assumptions.
At the time, I’m unsure if I had ever seen a movie that was solely based on a woman’s journey, navigating through sexism, college, and society. You have to understand, I wasn’t allowed to watch R rated movies at this time, and I had just gotten to the PG-13 stage when I was only maybe eight years old. I don’t think I had really seen a fully flushed out female character with aspirations and desires other than marriage or a relationship. Even though this movie begins with Elle being excited at the possibility of marriage, she soon realizes she has more worth than being a stepping stone for Warner in his life–a box to check in his life journey. She had never had the opportunity to find herself, and Warner being an asshat allowed for that opportunity. She learns how amazing she is when she’s on her own.
I know Reese Witherspoon is proud of this movie, and she should be. It is a worthy addition to the canon of strong female led films. It added something new and something never been done before to the genre. People often stick it into the rom-com genre without thinking, but it’s not even a rom-com at all (let’s also agree to never use the term “chick flick” again). I think this movie is one every young girl and woman should see. It is truly one of a kind. I am so lucky to have experienced it when I did. I saw in this movie someone like me, and it showed me how intelligence and humor in women should be celebrated instead of mitigated. The ripple effect this movie caused is still happening to this day, and the message that it gives women is an important one. You are more than just your body. You are a brilliant being with so much to offer this world, and in the words of Elle Woods, “you must always have faith in yourself.”
When I’m not busy daydreaming or having an existential crisis, I can usually be found watching a movie or TV, listening to music or a podcast, or with my nose in a book.
