Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5809 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-03-11
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, Croatian, Hebrew
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 92 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
An extraordinary comic performance from Reese Witherspoon makes Legally Blonde a winner. Witherspoon’s Elle is a ditzy blonde forced by circumstances to metamorphose into a strong-minded and academic lawyer, without losing her strong sense of self in the process. After majoring in fashion sales, she applies to Harvard Law School to pursue the boy who jilted her, and discovers that she is smart as well as beautiful.

Much of this is standard fish-out-of-water fare, with drab "intellectuals" snubbing the colourful and well-meaning Elle. Yet feminists will be disconcerted to discover that, apparently, a life of manicures and accessorising will teach you as much about female solidarity as decades of consciousness-raising! Recruited to the defence team of a fitness guru, she takes the defendant’s innocence for granted rather than feeling superior to her. Gradually, she and her ex's new fiancée build a fragile friendship that matters to both of them; Selma Blair is excellent as the snobbish vulnerable Vivienne. It might be a predictable self-help fairytale, but it’s also well-observed, cute and funny.

On the DVD: the DVD is presented in 1.78:1 ratio with 5.1 Dolby digital sound as standard. The disc also comes with a wealth of features, including a documentary on the film's obsession with hairstyles--outlining the struggle to keep its heroine bleach blonde from day to day--and a bubbly commentary from Witherspoon and director Robert Luketic. There are also promos, a theatrical trailer and an optional trivia track. --Roz Kaveney

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Audio Commentary with Director Robert Luketic, Reese Witherspoon and Producer Marc Platt
Deleted Scenes with Director's Introduction (x8)
Featurette: The Hair That Ate Hollywood
Music Video "Perfect Day" by Hoku
Legally Blonde Soundtrack Advertising Spot
Original Theatrical Trailer
Trivia Track

Synopsis
In the sharply funny LEGALLY BLONDE, Reese Witherspoon gives a glittering performance as Elle Woods, the natural blonde sorority queen who enrolls at Harvard Law School. When she first appears, Elle seems to be no more than the bright cousin of CLUELESS's Alicia Silverstone. Expecting her boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis) to propose, she is mortified when instead he says he needs somebody serious as his wife. When Elle discovers Warner's brother is engaged to a law student, she decides to go to Harvard. She studies for the LSATs, submits a video essay--in which she appears in a sequined bikini--and, miraculously, is accepted. At first, Elle is rebuked by Professor Stromwell (Holland Taylor) and is the target of snide comments from other students. But, gradually, it becomes clear that Elle is no fish out of water--she is smarter, more driven, and more likely to survive in the rarefied Harvard atmosphere than anyone else.
Witherspoon gets fine support from Selma Blair as Warner's new fiancee, Jennifer Coolidge as a beautician, Victor Garber as an unscrupulous professor, Ali Larter as a client from Elle's sorority, Holland Taylor, and Luke Wilson as a lawyer fascinated by Elle's unconventional approach. The smart, witty script is by Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith. The first-time director is 28-year-old Australian Robert Luketic.

Customer Reviews

Not so dumb blondes.
This is a frothy frivolous chick flick that makes no pretence at being anything else and is all the better for it.
The story centres around rich, sorority girl Elle Woods (played so well by Reece Witherspoon) who, after being dumped by her wealthy boyfriend Warner, decides to enrol in Harvard law school (where he has gone) in order to win him back.
Elle arrives at Harvard as a vision in pink (her signature colour) and accompanied by her beloved Chihuaua, Bruiser Woods, to the disbelief of the other students....as one says, open mouthed, "it's Malibu Barbie!".
Elle faces an uphill struggle to prove she is not a dumb blonde but deserving of her place and also has a fight on her hands to win back Warner who has got himself engaged to a prissy New England girl (Selma Blair). The movie is formulaic and holds no surprises but it doesn't matter as it is such good fun and it's great to see the loveable Elle win out...especially when she realises she doesn't need the creep she wanted back but that she has made it on her own. Sit with a bucket of popcorn and enjoy.

Mindless, Lightweight Fun
Elle Woods is shocked when, instead of proposing, her boyfriend dumps her. Convinced that this was true love, she struggles to find a way to win Warner back. In an effort to be perceived as serious, she follows him to Harvard Law School. She soon finds that the work is much harder then she anticipated. And Warner is already engaged to someone else. Will she managed to fit in, or will she drop out and move back to California?

As other reviewers have pointed out, this is a fairly formulaic comedy. The first time I watched it, the plot only surprised me a couple of times. However, it's so much fun, I really don't care. Reese Witherspoon really caries the movie was Elle and brings such warmth to the part that it's easy to root for her to overcome her circumstances. The other actors really shine as well, and several sub-plots help keep things interesting. I find myself laughing and cheering my way through the movie.

This is a first rate DVD. The picture and sound have been well preserved. The audio commentaries are a mixed bag, some interesting information mixed in with a "You were wonderful" love fest. My favorite feature is the deleted scenes. They helped fill in a couple of small gaps. And there's a great gag in one as well. There was reference made on the disc to a few scenes that weren't included, which surprised me a little. I guess these scenes were cut before they were filmed.

If you're looking for a lightweight, funny movie, this is for you. It doesn't break any new ground, but you'll have so much fun getting to the end you really won't care.

ZANY SCREWBALL COMEDY...
When I first saw this movie with my teenage son, I admit that my expectations were not particularly high. Was I ever pleasantly surprised by this delightfully funny comedy! Reese Witherspoon does a star turn as the not so dumb, California airhead blonde, Ellie Woods, who is dumped by her college sweetheart, Warner, before graduation, instead of getting the anticipated and expected marriage proposal. It appears that he has political aspirations and an ostensibly dumb and flamboyant blonde is not what he envisions having for a wife.

Seeking to prove herself worthy and knowing that he is planning on attending Harvard Law School, Ellie, a fashion major, also seeks admission with dogged determination and studies her charming buns off in order to do well on the LSAT, the Law School Admission Test. Her high LSAT scores, coupled with her hilarious admission video, and her perfect college grade point average, albeit in Fashion, get her through the portals of Harvard Law School, and the games begin in earnest.

What happens to her at Harvard is hilarious, as Ellie tries to get her former sweetheart back. She discovers, instead, something about herself that ultimately makes others sit up and take notice of her in a positive way. Reese Witherspoon is delightfully funny doing a comic turn and will have the viewer laughing almost immediately, while rooting for her. The supporting cast is likewise enjoyable. This is a funny, wacky comedy that is never mean spirited and is, instead, surprisingly uplifting.