This had the potential to be a very ordinary film. It's about a girl, Elle Woods (Witherspoon), who is superpopular but blonde - and therefore considered ditzy. But that doesn't matter, because she has a lovely, rich boyfriend, Warner (Davis), who is all set to go to Harvard Law School. But he suddenly decides that he can't be seen with a dumb blonde on his arm, dumping her for a snooty brunette (Blair).
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. She also finds time to get mixed up in a high profile murder trial, defending a trophy wife (Ali Larter) accused of murdering her wealthy husband.
Yes, it all sounds very silly - and it is, but that's exactly what's so great about it. Written by the same team that brought you the superlative teen comedy "10 Things I Hate About You", "Legally Blonde" is funny, enjoyable and, above all, relaxing. You won't need much brain power, but you'll certainly have fun.
And at the centre of it all is Witherspoon: goofy, sexy, intelligent, and a fine actress. From the current crop of young stars, she is certainly the pick of the bunch.