neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Sweet Home Alabama
	Andy Tennant Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, Patrick Dempsey, Candice Bergen, Fred Ward, Mary Kay Place, Jean Smart 2002		Just plop sweet Reese Witherspoon into the middle of any romantic comedy, even the done-by-rote "Sweet Home Alabama," and she comes up golden. "Sweet Home Alabama" is more warm 'n' gooey than her cheerleader-goes-to-Harvard-law-school hit "Legally Blonde," but not as funny. "Legally Blonde" was the cinematic equivalent of bubble gum — chewed briefly until the flavor is gone, then spat out. This isn't much tastier: Witherspoon is rising fashion designer Melanie, who's about to marry the suave son (Patrick Dempsey) of New York's upper-crust female mayor (Candice Bergen). But, in order to wed, Melanie must go home to rural Alabama and get a divorce from her good ol' boy husband (Josh Lucas). It would be a big embarrassment to the mayor if the press discovers that her son's fiancee is already married to a hick. Sho 'nuff, the ex still has the homespun charm that attracted Melanie in the first place. If you don't see where this is going, you're the punchline in a Jeff Foxworthy redneck joke.