Legally Blonde

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Legally Blonde Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 13+

Fun romp has some sexual references and salty language.

PG-13 2001 96 minutes
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 28 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 141 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Legally Blonde is a tongue-in-cheek comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as aspiring lawyer Elle Woods. While the story revolves around Elle finding empowerment in staying true to herself and her values, it does have some sexual references and stereotyping. There are references to lap dances, body parts, wet T-shirt contests, and long interludes in the hot tub. Elle's professor makes a pass at her. Elle's sorority life in California is all about mani-pedis, Prada shoes, and snagging the right guy. She decides to go to Harvard for the wrong reasons -- following a guy -- but she ultimately learns to value her brains, even if she continues to celebrate her successes with a shopping spree. There's college drinking and some profanity ("s--t," "t-ts," "ass," "a--hole," "balls," "bastard," "bitch," etc.).

Community Reviews

Lgw394
Lgw394 Adult
October 25, 2019
age 16+

WAY too mature for the current 12yo rating

I am fairly free with what I let my daughter watch and recently rewatched this with her and couldn’t believe the amount of direct sexual conversation, much less the innuendo. This should have been a hard pass until she is way older, even though I do love this movie.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
5 people found this helpful.
Nicholas H.
Nicholas H. Adult
September 27, 2020
age 14+

"some" sexual references? hmmm...

Not a prude here - but almost every scene had a crass sexual reference or joke - beware for the younger kids who aren't ready for this. Further, the female roles are generally farcical caricatures and shallow stereotypes. There is growth and empowerment as the movie progresses, so teaching moments do exist, but there are far more negative stereotypes than positive ones overall. In short, I am a little surprised by the 4 star review and the age classification from Common Sense on this one.

This title has:

Too much sex
2 people found this helpful.
See all 28 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In LEGALLY BLONDE, Southern California sorority girl Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is about to graduate with a major in fashion marketing. Her biggest challenge is what to wear for what she thinks will be a marriage proposal from her beau, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis). But he's decided to break up with her before he leaves for Harvard Law School because she's not "serious" enough to help him in his political career. Elle decides that the only way to get Warner back is to join him at Harvard. So she studies hard, aces the LSATs, and, with the help of a very unique application essay, is admitted. Her new classmates are skeptical and tease her. Worst of all, Warner reveals that he's engaged to Vivian (Selma Blair), a preppy girl who looks like an ad for Town and Country magazine. But Elle surprises them all -- and herself -- by becoming a first-class law student and lawyer while staying true to herself. She ends up defending a murder suspect with whom she has a special rapport and conducting a cross-examination that would impress Perry Mason.

Is It Any Good?

This courtroom comedy might not reach the heights of the sublime My Cousin Vinny, but it comes pretty close. Witherspoon is a treasure in Legally Blonde. She makes Elle completely believable as a charming California girl with spirit and brains. Witherspoon and the art direction (even the credits have i's dotted with hearts) keep things bubbly even when the script falters into predictability.

Luke Wilson as a young lawyer and Holland Taylor as an acerbic professor add some nice moments. Jennifer Coolidge delivers an iconic performance as Elle's nail technician and friend, and it's fun to see Raquel Welch in a cameo as a wealthy divorcée.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Elle didn't have higher aspirations for herself at the beginning of Legally Blonde. What role did her parents play in shaping the way she thought about her future?

  • Talk about Elle's choice to keep her client's secret, even when it put her defense at risk, and about the mistakes people make when they judge other people based on appearances. How did Elle's ability to hold to her values help her succeed where other, more experienced, lawyers fell short?

  • What does the way Elle responds to a practical joke show viewers about her?

  • What kinds of assumptions did people make about Elle based on her appearance? What were they, and how did she prove them wrong? Have there been times when you've been judged on your appearance? How did that make you feel?

Movie Details

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