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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

Release Date: Mar 11, 2002