Table of ContentsIntroductionLegally Blonde Film Review (essay)Personal OpinionConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionAs the saying goes, "Beauty is only skin deep." » Elle Woods, in the film Legally Blonde, interprets the proverb wonderfully. The film debuted in 2001, a time when feminism was not as notable as it is today; The early 2000s marked a period of regression toward classic gender roles in media and popular culture. Reese Witherspoon, the originator of Legally Blonde, gained worldwide recognition for playing a role that required more than sitting poolside in a bikini. Witherspoon became a staple of American culture for her ultra-girly role, but she nonetheless guided Elle Woods on her journey to becoming a successful lawyer. Legally Blonde is recognized for its inspiring storyline that transformed into an American classic, forever defying blonde stereotypes. This Legally Blonde film review essay will explore the film's plot and characters, as well as its lasting impact on American culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayLegally Blonde Movie Review (Essay)The film, Legally Blonde, follows natural blonde Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) who seems without doubt have the world at your fingertips. Woods is the president of her Delta Nu sorority, also an academic, and is dating an aspiring senator from her boyfriend, Warner Washington. At the beginning of the film, it is clear that She lives an easy, luxurious lifestyle and indulges in social approval. Expecting a proposal, Warner breaks up with Elle at dinner, saying that if he wants to become a senator at thirty, he must marry "a Jackie, not a Marilyn." It's obvious that he doesn't see a future with Elle, implying that she's generally not a practical partner and is "too blonde." She, heartbroken and insulted, hatches a plan to not only win back her ex-boyfriend, but also prove him wrong. Impulsively, she is accepted and follows Warner to Harvard Law School, intending to humiliate him with her intelligence. Different from her usual tendencies towards shopping and poolside activities, She is for once socially disapproved due to her lack of sophistication and naivety. Later, she discovers that Warner has rekindled an old flame with the intelligent law student named Vivian Kensington. Throughout the film, circumstances work in Elle's favor as she discovers a true passion for law and becomes one of the best students at the college. A key supporting character in the film is Professor Callahan; Woods studies hard and wins an internship for Callahan. The perfect opportunity presents itself to show off your knowledge and adoration for the field during a court case. Along with Callahan and attorney Emmett Richmond, they work together to bail out a prominent fitness instructor accused of murder. Ultimately, Elle helps win the case, gains the respect of her peers, and discovers a suitable career in law. Warner tries to rekindle the flame with Woods and is of course rejected. Two years later, Elle Woods graduated with honors and was the chosen speaker at the ceremony. The film ends with Elle invited to one of Boston's most prestigious law firms and moving in with Emmett. Before watching the film, I noticed that the poster for the film Legally Blonde (2001) featured the tagline: "Boldly go where no blonde has gone." It is obvious that the film is already causing controversy and degradation towards blondes. In theIn the first few minutes of the film, we immediately meet the main protagonist, Elle Woods, a high-end student with a near-perfect life. We know that she is the president of her sorority and we see her sisters; they are all practically blonde clones of Elle, mindlessly participating in the same activities, and are painted to be painfully simple-minded. Thus, respecting the “dumb blonde” stereotype. She and her sorority sisters are seen primarily in pink, overly communicating the idea that they are women; while everyone else wears darker, subtle colors. By the time we meet Woods' boyfriend Warner Washington's main antagonist, he is portrayed as the typical alpha male. Washington is a tall, privileged white man, hungry for success in his career as a senator. In turn, Warner breaks up with Elle because she is "too blonde", which does not make her a wife. She expected him to propose; instead, she was slapped in the face during a sudden breakup. Like most women, she breaks down loudly and sobs uncontrollably to the point where it becomes almost unrealistic. Exaggerated use of paralanguage is one of Elle's tendencies throughout the film. Due to Elle's upbringing as a rich, white girl, this ties in with the point of view theory discussed in our textbook. Wood & Fixmer-Oraiz (2019) state: “Standhold theory focuses on how membership in groups, such as those denoted by gender, race, class, ability, and identity of gender, shapes what individuals experience.” That being said, it's clear that Elle Woods doesn't have much experience facing adversity, given her lavish lifestyle and tendency to enjoy the approval of others. She even asks Warner, “Don’t you love me?” Everyone loves me. In short, She is a socialite; she places great importance on her appearance. “Girls and women are more likely than boys and men to feel pressure to look beautiful, not just on special occasions, but at all times.” From start to finish, Elle is firm on an elegant presentation wherever she goes, and here she wonders if it was her looks that turned off Warner. On the other hand, Warner's quest for status and prestige can be linked to the following statement: "As adults, men are expected to compete for status in their profession, 'to get there'." Biologically, men are portrayed as being the providers of funds as a prerequisite for manhood and often seek to stand out in the job market to do so. As previously stated, Warner Washington is a man who exerts his dominance by showing no emotion or vulnerability. He does this in the scene after their breakup, as Elle runs away from the restaurant, when he persuades her to get into his car by telling her, "You'll get your shoes dirty." Such a statement undermines a woman's worth by essentially saying that her shoes are more important than her emotional well-being. “Male discourse [consists] of means to achieve concrete goals, to exercise control, to preserve independence, to entertain, and to improve one's status.” Warner takes pleasure in not feeling like the aggressor in the film, does not show empathy, but simply puts women (Her) in their place of lesser value as emotionally fragile and dependent beings. Stubborn in putting his pride aside, he shows no remorse or any emotion to justify to Elle that he is not missing out without her. A common theme in the film is the traditionalist view of respecting gender roles. Later, while she is talking with her mother atregarding her law school application, the mother makes an incredibly sexist comment regarding gender roles. Amazed by her daughter's new interest, she said, "Honey, you were first runner-up in the Miss Hawaiian Tropics pageant." Why are you going to throw everything away? Although it's clear that Elle is doing well in school, even her parents can't ignore her pretty face; it seems that female students only care about their image and maintaining their appearance. Of course, the film incorporates many examples of patriarchy “…reflecting more the perspectives and priorities of men than those of women.” In the United States, Western culture is very present and it is not surprising that it is mentioned in Legally Blonde. When Elle wins Professor Callahan's internship, she is assigned to perform mindless and tedious tasks that do not belong to the field of law itself. Along with the other female trainees, they perform personal tasks to please the man. It appears they only got this placement for their support and education services. Likewise, women are sexualized in the film by sometimes wearing exposed or almost exposed clothing. In their article, Jaimee Swift and Hannah Gould denounce the exploitation of women and girls in popular media. “An American Psychological Association (APA) report on the sexualization of girls in the media found that girls are more often portrayed in sexual ways than boys; dressed in revealing clothing and with body postures or facial expressions that imply sexual preparation.” In the first five minutes of the film, sorority Delta Nu mingles with fraternity members wearing bikinis while participating in activities. Swift and Gould (2019) also mention that the media is largely responsible for promoting female sexualization. The women in these films who wear little or no clothing attract men and give the impression that they are ready to indulge in sexual pleasure. Additionally, it leads audience members to understand that when women wear bikinis or expose clothing, it is okay to take this as a sign to make immediate sexual advances toward them. Likewise, another example of an unmistakable element of patriarchy is Elle's Harvard admissions video. As a mandatory guideline to consider for admission to Harvard, she does so in a naive way that only she could imagine. The video shows her wearing a bikini boasting her best “assets” and “qualities”. In the video, we see a poolside Elle in a bikini for most of it while a montage plays along with her antics. Immediately afterward, the admissions committee is deeply infatuated with the video based on his appearance alone and ultimately accepts it. This says a lot about how a man thinks and how he views women as property. As a result, Legally Blonde encourages heteronormativity with the heterosexual characters and the few homosexual characters. As a reminder, “…heteronormativity is the assumption that heterosexuality is normal and that all other sexual orientations are abnormal.” It is presumed that Elle's family and close companions are all considered heterosexual. The LGBTQ characters are all portrayed in clichéd supporting roles. When Elle's friends found out that Warner had broken up with her, they said, "We thought she would be the first to get married and now she's completely adrift." A cold statement like this means that anything but a heterosexual sexual orientation is frowned upon; it almost makes it seem like women can't be single and should alwaysbe in a relationship. When Elle is the head trial lawyer, she befriends a gay pool boy named Enrique. She openly states: “Gay men know the designers, straight men don’t. » When in reality, many heterosexual men are very familiar with fashion designers. About Enrique, someone shouts: “I should have known; he left a Cher CD in the pool house. Similarly, Enid is a lesbian whom She also meets and who is described as a radical feminist. In fact, she makes it clear that she would never associate herself with the girly-girl that is Elle; this is not surprising because she is rude and selfish. The film stigmatizes the LGBTQ community in the most stereotypical way by making the characters one-dimensional: gay men are delicate and lesbians are hostile. Aside from the criticisms found throughout the film, it promotes the idea that women can do anything men can do. , often better. There are some uplifting and optimistic lights of feminism that help Elle triumph towards the film's conclusion. Despite the little female rivalries and dramas, She is surrounded by many loyal companions who want the best for her. For example, Elle's clearly respected and adored by all of her sorority sisters and there's no denying that they're proud to call her their president. At the beginning of the film, we see that the Delta Nu sisters are all supportive of his impending proposal. Another example is when she begins her journey to the East Coast by applying to Harvard; Serena and Margot, her two closest friends, assured her that she had what it took to be accepted. When it came to the trial, with Elle as the chief lawyer, her friends were protective in times of doubt or disrespect. Female friendships make for the best companionship for these reasons, because “…communication between female friends tends to be empathetic, expressive, and supportive.” Arguably, men tend to be more tense when socializing and not have permeable boundaries with their friends; while women are more unified and share a greater sense of unity. Even though Elle may have had a better future than some of her friends, her friends remained emotionally supportive and caring from start to finish. Personal Opinion Overall, the film surprised me given the basic and simplistic appearance of Elle Woods' character. be. However, that was my first thought in the first quarter of the movie, because I didn't believe that Elle was actually a genius underneath all the glitz and riches. I think the most important lesson to learn from the film is to never form an opinion until you really get close to the person. If Elle Woods were a real person, I'd assume she was another stuck-up blonde who never struggled due to her socioeconomic status. But I was sorely mistaken and by the end of the film it was clear that Ms. Elle Woods truly had it all: looks, intelligence and taste. Woods' plan to sabotage her ex turned into an admirable and successful legal career for herself! LGBTQ characters were poorly represented and did not match how they are characterized in contemporary society. The film gave gays and lesbians a very narrow and almost annoying personality in the predictability of their roles. I think Enrique would have been a great supporting role for Elle and could have been someone she could confide in as well, like her friends. Our manual mentions that relationships between a heterosexual woman and a homosexual man are very intimate, due to their shared sexual preferences. The whole movie.