‘Blonde’ tickles some, disappoints others

A light-hearted look at ladies in pink

Darleene Barrientos is the crime and courts reporter for the

News-Press, the Leader’s sister publication.

All the pink colors, blond hair and girlish gasps of excitement

make “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde” a movie that is, at

best, a guilty, secret pleasure for men and women.

Reese Witherspoon comes back as Elle Woods, the blond bombshell

“from Boston by way of Bel Air” who is fired from her first job

because she wants to sue a cosmetics testing firm and force it to

release its test animals.

As she tries to plan her wedding near the Green Monster at

Boston’s Fenway Park, she’s fighting for respect for herself, her

penchant for bright colors and her unorthodox approach to the law.

Most of Washington won’t take Elle seriously, which is a mistake --

she wrangles a hearing in the House of Representatives on her bill by

discovering one representative is a Delta Nu and finding that another

has a dog like hers.

It’s a silly but funny movie, if you aren’t blinded by pink and

don’t take the movie too seriously. “Legally Blonde 2” is the female

answer to silly, stereotypical movies like the male-targeted

fraternity film “Old School,” complete with sexual innuendos and

mysterious sorority traditions, like the Snap Cup. Snaps for Elle!

Pushes stereotype to the ridiculous

Joshua Pelzer is the city hall reporter for the News-Press, the

Leader’s sister publication.

The best thing about this movie is that my company is compen-

sating me for the cost of the ticket. A concept that could have had

some promise turned out to be an hour and 40 minutes of

predictability with a gradual downward spiral into mindlessness and

unbelievability.

The picture seems to be a remake of the first “Legally Blonde”

movie where the sorority princess Elle Woods, played by Reese

Witherspoon, tries to earn respect in an elitist environment where

she isn’t taken seriously. After conquering the naysayers of

Harvard’s law school, she sets out for Washington D.C. in the sequel

to get animal testing banned. Predictably, she gets controversial and

ground-breaking legislation passed in less than a month.

Very rarely do movies that rely on stereotype humor have enough

depth or content to even hold the most forgiving viewers’ interest,

and this movie is no different. And it also doesn’t help that

dressing up a Chihuahua in a variety of ridiculous costumes is the

extent of this picture’s comic variety. This film incorporates a

“been there, done that” concept with a tired and overdone “ditzy

blond” stereotype and tries to stretch it out into another movie.

Let’s just say I’d wait until it comes out on video.

* “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde” is rated PG-13 as some

material may be inappropriate for children younger than 13.

If you would like to become a Reel Critic and see a movie on the

newspaper’s tab, call features editor Joyce Rudolph at 637-3241. We

especially need youngsters 8 to 12.