Legally Blondes DVD Review

Legally Blonde and Legally Blonde 2 were both warm and cuddly, cute and fuzzy chick flicks starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, perky, pink, but ultimately shrewd and intelligent. She proved herself first in law school and then in government. Now we have a third film baring the name, this time called Legally Blondes (it’s twins this time!). Reese Witherspoon is no longer starring, and the film is much the worse for it.

The film focuses on Elle Woods’ cousins Annabelle and Isabelle. Like Elle, they’re blonde, perky and pink, oh, they’re also identical twins (played by Camilla and Rebecca Rosso). Unlike Elle they’re not American, they’re British and the opening of the film sees them moving from England to America due to their father’s new job. Once stateside they get partial scholarship to a prestigious prep school. They rapidly fall foul of the school megalomaniac Tiffany (Brittany Curran). It seems that the school is quite elitist and those students on scholarships are ridiculed and shunned.

Tiffany, jealous that the twins are considered more attractive than her, eventually hatches her grand plan to get them expelled and frames Isabelle and the boy that Annabelle has a crush on for cheating on a history test. In a school court the girls must play council and prove their innocence.

Going in to this film you’d be excused for thinking it’s a direct sequel to the Reese Witherspoon films. Other than the mention of Elle Woods’s name, there are no other ties between this film and those. Reese Witherspoon is down as an executive producer, but for her sake I hope that was in name only. The first two undeniably fit in the ‘chick flick’ genre, but were aimed at adults. Legally Blondes however is aimed at a much younger crowd, mainly pre-teen girls. If your daughter likes Hannah Montana then you’re in the right ballpark.

Where the first two films had a certain charm (mainly the first, it went a bit downhill in the second film), that charm was pretty much entirely due to Reese Witherspoon’s considerable acting and comedic ability. Take her out of the equation and substitute in a couple of newcomers (their only other credits are for a few Suite Life of Zack and Cody episodes) with no comedy timing at all and for adults watching it’s bordering on painful.

If you do consider it a follow on for the first two films then the plot is thin and the acting woeful (way too smiley and perky, the twins even manage to smile during a conversation about their mothers death). If you consider it for the pre-teen girly crowd then it’s probably right up their street (my daughter’s only one though so I’m spared all that for now!).

In making a tenuous link to the first two Legally Blonde films the makers have made a mistake. Viewers may think it’s aimed at the same market and if that market is you then stay away there’s nothing for you here. If however you have a pre-teen that’s dragged you to see Hannah Montana or The Bratz Movie or any of the High School Musical films then this harmless fun may be something to keep them quiet and out of your hair for a couple of hours.

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