Critic Reviews
Legally Blonde (2001) Rank 5 Reviews
Expert Review Summary
based on (221) reviews
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Cinema Signals by The Filmiliar Cineaste
Sidekick Magazine
BBC Films (Ben Falk)
Elle, however, is a determined woman, and before long, she's bluffing her way into Harvard (via a hilarious entry video) and trying to get him back. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at BBC Films (Ben Falk)
The Movie Insider (Nancy Yang)
filmfacts (Andreas Edler)
The Movie Chicks
The UK Critic (Ian Waldron-Mantgani)
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
The Movie Mom (Nell Minow)
The King's Room (Paul Perkins)
The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
UpcomingDiscs.com (Jeremy Frost)
artechock (Ruediger Suchsland)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
DVDActive (Richard Schuchardt)
That Cow (Andrew Bradford)
Film Quips Online (John R. McEwen)
DVDActive (Chris Gould)
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
Daily-Reviews.com (Shay Casey)
Movielocity Movie Reviews (Blake Kunisch)
Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Entertainment Ave!
Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)
Chicago Reader (Lisa Alspector)
In a perfect marriage of player and part, Reese Witherspoon is Elle Woods. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Chicago Reader (Lisa Alspector)
Newsweek (David Ansen)
If this Popsicle of a movie melts long before it's over, the first half has more good laughs than all of ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Newsweek (David Ansen)
Washington Post (Stephen Hunter)
Blondes may or may not have more fun, but in this one case, they certainly provide more fun. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Washington Post (Stephen Hunter)
Cineclub-Filmkritik
Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon, siehe Foto rechts) ist völlig aus dem Häuschen: Ihr Freund Warner (Matthew Dawis) will an diesem Wochenende vorbeikommen. Sie rechnet mit der Verlobung... Doch weit gefehlt: Er macht Schluss. Seiner Meinung nach sind die ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Cineclub-Filmkritik
Reel Criticism - Honest Reviews!
UTK Daily Beacon (Drew Edwards)
Christian Spotlight on the Movies
The Common Guy (Paul Hall)
ninth symphony films
Washington Post (Michael O'Sullivan)
Washington Post (Stephen Hunter)
filmcritic.com revokes Legally Blonde
DVD Times (Maria Waters)
Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)
DVD Review e-zine
JoBlo's Movie Emporium reviews "Legally Blonde"
The Trades (Jonathan Sudduth)
Toby Baldwin's Film Review
DVD Times (Alexander Larman)
dvdfuture.com (Anthony Clarke)
A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
Dark Horizons (Garth Franklin)
Shannon Patrick Sullivan
Apollo Guide (Brian Webster)
The myth of ‘dumb blondes’ is old and senseless. Even if you could argue successfully that hair colour influences how kids are raised, it’s more than slightly absurd to suggest that it’s also tied to innate intelligence. Yet the myth continues, ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Apollo Guide (Brian Webster)
Reel Movie Critic (Pam Singleton)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
A featherweight comedy balanced between silliness and charm. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Chicago Tribune (Michael Wilmington)
Witherspoon goes further, pouring so much humor and pizzazz into Elle that she lifts up the whole movie. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Wilmington)
JoBlo's Movie Emporium ("JoBlo")
Mark Reviews Movies (Mark Dujsik)
Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
The Hot Button (David Poland)
Cinema em Cena (Pablo Villaça)
Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
FilmHead.com (Matt Heffernan)
Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
AboutFilm.com (Carlo Cavagna)
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Edward Johnson-Ott
Tail Slate (Michael Sheridan)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Smart screwball comedy that upends the stereotype of the airhead towhead. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
filmcritic.com (Joshua Tyler)
The Onion A.V. Club (Nathan Rabin)
A fish-out-of-water comedy so feather-light that it threatens to disappear into the ether, Legally Blonde stars Reese Witherspoon as a wealthy West Coast sorority girl whose ambitious boyfriend dumps her for the sake of his political career. Heartbroken, ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at The Onion A.V. Club (Nathan Rabin)
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
It's time Reese Witherspoon finally comes to terms with the fact that she could very well be the most appealing comedienne working in films today. If she were to do more comedies and a little less dramas, she might even become a bona fide superstar. Looki ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Goatdog's Movies (Michael W. Phillips, Jr.)
Xiibaro Productions (David Perry)
ESpy.ca (Jayson Hopkins)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
"Legally Blonde" is a featherweight comedy balanced between silliness and charm. It is impossible to dislike, although how much you like it may depend on your affection for Reese Witherspoon. She is so much the star of the movie that the other actors seem ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Jack Garner)
The Popkorn Junkie
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Sean Axmaker)
Imagine the sequel to "Clueless" reconceived as a peroxide "Paper Chase" and punched up with a valley girl version of "My Cousin Vinny" for the climax. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Sean Axmaker)
USA Today (Susan Wloszczyna)
Guilty of inciting a near-laugh riot thanks to an irresistible leading lady whose comic instincts are as impeccable as her manicure. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at USA Today (Susan Wloszczyna)
Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)
Almost Fabulous Movie Reviews
MovieFreak.com (Dan Peters)
3 Black Chicks ("The Diva")
BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)
TNMC (John "Batman" Shea)
A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
DVDTown (John J. Puccio)
Home Theater Info (Doug MacLean)
At-A-Glance Film Reviews
Entertainment Zone Review
DVD Town (John J. Puccio)
DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
It's time Reese Witherspoon finally comes to terms with the fact that she could very well be the most appealing comedienne working in films today. If she were to do more comedies and a little less dramas, she might even become a bona fide superstar. Looki ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
UGO Screenwriter's Voice
txreviews.com (Curtis Edmonds)
Montreal Film Journal (Kevin N. Laforest)
Like, ohmygod! Here's a movie which, while being a fun little harmless comedy, turns out to also have some genuine depth behind all the pink faux fur, pop music, manicure sessions and dumb blonde humor. In fact, "Legally Blonde" goes on to illustrate its ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Montreal Film Journal (Kevin N. Laforest)
Movie Vault (Patsy)
The Movie Archive (Marjorie Johns)
Popkorn Junkie's review of Legally Blonde
DVD Net (Amy Flower)
Mutant Reviewers From Hell
IndependentCritics.com (Richard Propes)
Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents
Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
digitallyOBSESSED.com (Joel Cunningham)
Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is firmly cocooned in a world of peroxide. She's president of her sorority, at the head of her class as a fashion major, and dating hunky pre-law stud Warner (Matthew Davis). Just when Elle believes Warner is going to ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at digitallyOBSESSED.com (Joel Cunningham)
TV Guide (Stephen Miller)
Witherspoon turns in yet another stellar, nuanced comic performance. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at TV Guide (Stephen Miller)
B Fatt. & Lazy Movie Reviews
LA Weekly (Manohla Dargis)
With her ductile physicality and undeniable charm, Witherspoon remains acutely present even when everyone else -- director, writers and cast -- has checked out. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at LA Weekly (Manohla Dargis)
Film Monthly (E.T. Robbins)
Joe Critic.com (Sam Bear)
Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)
The Cranky Critic (Chuck Schwartz)
Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
LowComDom Online Film Reviews
www.zelluloid.de review: Natürlich blond!
Films on Disc (Stuart J. Kobak)
Movie Geek Central
Reeling Reviews (Robin and Laura Clifford)
PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)
Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)
Portland Oregonian (Kim Morgan)
Alas, the movie just isn't bouncy, fresh or funny enough. It's just not blonde enough. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Portland Oregonian (Kim Morgan)
Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Somewhere in that chirpy half-pint frame dwell some meaty comic chops. Goldie Hawn may have found her successor. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Austin Chronicle (Kimberley Jones)
Entertainment Weekly (Lisa Schwarzbaum)
She may be follically blond, but as an actor of distinction who's all of 25, Reese Witherspoon reveals interesting dark roots even as she plays golden girls. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Entertainment Weekly (Lisa Schwarzbaum)
The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
The New York Times - Family Movie Guide (Peter M. Nichols)
Spirituality & Health (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Entertainment Insiders (Craig Roush)
Reel.com DVD review (Neal Block)
Reel.com (Pam Grady)
Philadelphia City Paper (Cindy Fuchs)
Fantastica Daily
Film Freak Central
MediaCircus (Anthony Leong)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Did you hear the one about the blonde? This summer you will. And what you will hear will be bubbly, ebullient praise for "Legally Blonde," a cute comedy as fluffy as the thick, long locks that cascade over star Reese Witherspoon's ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
In any other year, "Legally Blonde" would be simply another bubbly little comedy with a few inspired jokes vigorously mixed in with the fitfully funny, directed with verve in place of style, and lifted out of mediocrity by a sunny, spirited performance ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer
New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)
Like all blond jokes, Legally Blonde is basically meanspirited, and that's when it's funniest. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)
Boston Globe (Jay Carr)
There's always Witherspoon, swimming upstream and never letting it slow her down. Blindingly purposeful, she's a perky blond tornado. Marilyn Monroe would not only have cheered her on. She'd have learned something. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Boston Globe (Jay Carr)
Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
A smart comedy about a smart blonde -- that would be a sensation. But a dumb comedy about a smart blonde turns out to be not bad. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
Nick's Flick Picks (Nick Davis)
Movie ram-blings (Ram Samudrala)
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Legally Blonde fits into the niche occupied by motion pictures like Clueless, Dick, and Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion - that is to say, films in which an airhead heroine captures our affection and overcomes her vacuous disability to triumph. How ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
The Boston Phoenix
Houston Community Newspapers (Gary Brown)
Kino (Alessandro Bencivenni)
Political Film Society
El Criticon (Antonio Méndez Casanova)
eye WEEKLY (Emma McIntyre)
Variety (Todd McCarthy)
The mildly engaging silliness of its premise is never transformed into something more substantial, and the attempt at a fine-tuned "Clueless"-like tone is only sputteringly achieved. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Variety (Todd McCarthy)
Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Witherspoon -- though miles from the keen satire of "Election" -- stays one sharp cookie even as her film crumbles. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Slate (David Edelstein)
I half-admire its exquisite balancing act, squeezing laughs out of its leading lady's wardrobe, vocabulary, gestures, and cretinously oblivious Beverly Hills sense of entitlement, while simultaneously demonstrating her brilliance, sturdy ethics, and ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Slate (David Edelstein)
Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Witherspoon's sophisticated-pixie brilliance practically makes the movie, and her easy, confident, curvaceous carriage doesn't hurt, either -- she's the thinking guy's cupcake, maybe because her mind is just as supple as her curves. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
CineFile : il Cinema in Rete (Mariela Bernardini)
Tiscali UK
Reese Witherspoon's career goes from strength to strength with every film she makes. While she may not be a household name just yet on this side of the ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Tiscali UK
Moviola (Jorge G. Avila Andrade)
La Butaca (Leandro Marques)
Boxoffice Magazine
Boxoffice Magazine
Xi-online (Sven Gerrets)
cinEncanto (Pablo del Moral)
"Legalmente Rubia" es el tipo de pelÃcula que hará que algunas personas sientan vergüenza al darse cuenta de que la disfrutaron y que prefieran mentir antes de aceptar que se divirtieron con una pelÃcula vacua, boba y absurdamente increÃble.
Yo ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at cinEncanto (Pablo del Moral)
25frames.org (Christoph Huber)
Cinema 2000 (Eurico de Barros; João Lopes)
The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
The character as written is incoherent, but Ms. Witherspoon has the reflexes to make Elle both appealing and ridiculous. It's funny -- in that slightly queasy, un-P.C. Doris Day kind of way. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
SPLICEDwire (Rob Blackwelder)
New York Post (Jonathan Foreman)
Merely a watery, poorly directed update of ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at New York Post (Jonathan Foreman)
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
Benefits enormously from smart casting across the board. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
Guilty of squandering resources. Amusing as it goes about setting up its premise, in Witherspoon, the gifted veteran of "Election" and "Pleasantville," it has an actress willing to throw herself completely into the part to excellent effect. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Los Angeles Times (Kenneth Turan)
DVD Talk (Jeffrey Robinson)
New Times (L.A.) (Andy Klein)
The muddiness of the basic concept and the thinness of its execution eventually defeat even Witherspoon's talents. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at New Times (L.A.) (Andy Klein)
Village Voice (Jessica Winter)
A junk-food movie striving to be nutritious -- it's one of your racier Be Yourself after-school specials crossed with 'Who Moved My Cheese?" for Cosmo girls. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Village Voice (Jessica Winter)
Washington Post (Michael O'Sullivan)
Really nothing more than "Clueless" redux but without the edgy, knowing wit. ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at Washington Post (Michael O'Sullivan)
Palo Alto Online (Joe Mader)
The Village Voice (Jessica Winter)
Swingers popularized ballroom dancing, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and the adjectival use of money, but scribe-star Jon Favreau's baby was also something of a cult phenomenon unto itself. Though brisk, clever, and not without genuine pathos, the movie was as ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at The Village Voice (Jessica Winter)
Movie Gazette (Gary Panton)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
hybridmagazine.com
I for one have no problem with that; after all it’s a comedy, right?
Wrong, this movie is tremendously unfunny. I was never a big fan of CLUELESS, which this movie pays frequent homage to, but I found it funny in large parts. Every way in which ...read the complete Legally Blonde movie review at hybridmagazine.com
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