Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabuolous

PLOT:

Because of the notoriety she gained from the Miss United States pageant, Gracie Hart’s life as an undercover FBI agent is over. In addition, Agent Eric Matthews broke off their relationship which she did not take well. Begrudgingly on the advice her boss Director Harry McDonald, Gracie decides to become the FBI’s media relations officer. Ten months later with the assistance of style coach Joel Meyers and a best selling book behind her about her experience, Gracie becomes a designer-clad media darling and the made-up face of the FBI. The new Gracie is the exact opposite of Agent Sam Fuller, a woman who, like Gracie before her pageant experience, has deep seated anger issues. The two do not get along, but that doesn’t stop McDonald from assigning Sam to be Gracie’s bodyguard. The two are sent to Las Vegas when Gracie’s friend, reigning Miss United States Cheryl Frasier, and the long time Miss United States pageant host Stan Fields are kidnapped there. At the FBI’s Las Vegas field office, Assistant Director Walter Collins wants Gracie solely to be the media spokesperson on the case, but Gracie wants to be back in the field, especially when she uncovers some leads Collins dismisses. Despite their antagonistic relationship, Gracie and Sam have to work together to follow these leads. Along with them are Joel and insecure FBI Agent Jeff Foreman, the foursome who in addition to finding Cheryl and Stan, have to elude Collins’ other agents, Collins who wants Gracie and Sam back on a plane to New York and who wants the glory of solving the case for himself.

What people are saying:

“The things we loved most about #1 were downplayed in favor of the things that weren’t all that funny; and a betrayal of the main character through most of it.” 2 stars

“I liked Miss Congeniality, but was anyone asking for this? And if this was going to be forced upon the world, did it have to be this bad? I would hope not, but it seems that we have no choice.” 1/2 star

“Absolute dribble, inspiring only to preteen girls and Sandra Bullock. Bullock’s talent and good looks are the only reasons this movie is watchable. The flick is armed and dangerous alright – to anyone involved in the production of the film besides Sandra.” 1 1/2 stars

“Worth seeing just for the Dolly Parton Cameo and the Proud Mary performance. Again Sandra Bullock does what few others can, and thats bounce off a co-star as if they have worked together years, Regina King is an excellent addition.” 3 1/2 stars

“Sandra Bullock returns as FBI agent Gracie Hart in the second Miss Congeniality movie. Gracie has become well-known by the public after saving Cheryl Frasier (Heather Burns) at the Miss United States Pageant, where she was working undercover. Gracie is asked to become the face to the FBI, and give a positive face of the FBI by promoting her book on TV. Gracie has become a celebrity and is no longer a real FBI agent. Her friends from the pageant, Cheryl and Stan Fields (William Shatner) are kidnapped in Las Vegas, and Gracie wants to find them. Gracie is ordered by her boss to continue being the face of the FBI, while they find her friends. Gracie can’t do that, so she starts her own investigation. Her bodyguard, FBI agent Sam Fuller (Regina King), and Gracie go undercover to find her friends, and the fireworks begin. If you liked the first movie, you will love this one. I think it is even better than the first, and Regina King steals the show with her part. There is much more action and funny scenes. I actually laugh through the entire movie. This is one cute chick flick where you can just sit back and enjoy.” 4 stars

Mighty Joe Young

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

Jill Young is seen as a child at the beginning of the film when she witnesses the death of her mother, Ruth Young (Linda Purl) and the mother of Joe, an infant mountain gorilla, at the hands of poachers led by Andrei Strasser (Rade Šerbedžija). Strasser loses his right thumb and trigger finger to Joe, and swears revenge on the gorilla for the damage. Before she dies, Ruth tells Jill to take care of Joe, to which Jill agrees. 12 years later, Jill has raised Joe (who, because of a rare genetic anomaly, has now grown to the size of 16 1/2-feet (5 meters) and weighs 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms); as a result, the other gorillas won’t accept him and both are now living in relative peace until a wildlife refuge director, Gregg O’Hara (Bill Paxton), convinces Jill that they would be safer from poachers if they relocate to the United States.

The trio goes to Hollywood, Los Angeles, California and win the hearts of the refuge staff. There, Jill is approached by Strasser, who is now running a fake animal preserve while really selling animal organs off on the black market – who has seen a news report about Joe and is now eager for revenge. At first Jill fails to recognize Strasser as the poacher who killed both her mother and Joe’s, since Strasser hides his right hand in his coat pocket. Strasser tries to persuade Jill that Joe would be better off in his wildlife refuge back in Africa. Later, during a gala, Strasser’s henchman, Garth (Peter Firth), uses a poacher’s noisemaker to scare Joe into a frenzy. Joe trashes the gala, recognizes Strasser and tries to attack him. Joe is then captured and placed in a concrete bunker. Before their departure, Gregg has fallen in love with Jill and he kisses her goodbye.

When Jill learns that Joe may be euthanized, she decides to take Strasser’s offer. She and the refuge staff smuggle Joe out in a truck. On the way to the airport, Jill notices the half-glove covering Strasser’s missing fingers, and realizes who he really is. She briefly fights with Garth and Strasser, then jumps from the truck and onto Hollywood Boulevard, leading to the first of several automobile accidents. Joe sees her and rocks the truck over onto its side and escapes. Meanwhile, Gregg has realized that Strasser is a poacher and goes after both Jill and Joe. He finds Jill, who reveals to Gregg that Strasser killed her mother and plans to kill Joe. They locate Joe at a carnival where he is playfully wreaking havoc. Strasser arrives and attempts to shoot Jill. But Garth pushes Strasser’s gun away from Jill, causing him to fire at a spotlight, which subsequently starts a fire and causes the Ferris wheel to break down. Realizing how ruthless Strasser truly is, Garth says that he quits, but Strasser knocks Garth unconscious with his gun. Strasser eventually confronts Jill and attempts to kill her, but Joe sneaks up behind them and tosses Strasser into the air, where he grips onto electrical wires over a transformer. Short two fingers on the hand holding the wire as he lost his thumb and trigger finger, as previously mentioned, Strasser is electrocuted to death when his grip fails and he falls into the transformer, leaving only the half-glove hanging from the wiring. Later, at the Santa Monica Pier, Joe tries to save a child from atop the burning wheel but the fire burns it down and Joe and the child fall to earth where Joe is crushed beneath the wheel but the child is unharmed. Joe apparently dies from his wounds, but is later shown to have survived. The young boy Joe saved donates money to Jill after hearing her say how they’d need money to buy a new home for Joe and the people who witnessed the whole accident follow suit.

Joe is returned to Africa where Jill opens the “Joe Young Preserve.” In the final scene Joe runs off into the distance, seemingly enjoying his new found freedom

REVIEW:

Sakes alive, this has been a week that makes you wonder what is wrong with people in the world, right? First we have a young man get shot by a police officer which, based on the different races, has exploded into protests. I turn on the television and I swear I’m looking at some historical show about what went on in the 60s. Also, there was a beheading of a journalist, by some radical extremists. Geez, man, can it get any worse than this? I really do wonder. So, how about we go with something extremely light tonight, Mighty Joe Young.

What is this about?

In a remake of the 1949 classic, director Ron Underwood’s Oscar-nominated adventure follows Gregg O’Hara’s quest to capture a two-ton African gorilla and transport him to a California reserve far from poachers.

What did I like?

Give good face. Primates are known to have very human-like facial expressions at times. Joe takes that to a whole new level, as his expressions are actually more expressive than some of the humans. Not only that, these looks come at just the right time as to convey just the right emotion at the time. Whether Joe is CG, animatronic, or a mixture of both, these emotions are perhaps the best thing about him.

Not the bad guy. Bill Paxton has made a career out of being a character actor who has a resume filled with playing the villain. Most recently, he was seen on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the head of the Hydra infiltration, otherwise known as the Clairvoyant. What a change it is to see him in this role, where he is not that bad guy, but actually is the hero who gets the girl in the end. As good as he is at being the bad guy, had he taken more roles like this, perhaps he could be a leading man today. I’m just sayin’!

King Kong ain’t got… Although this is a remake of a film of the same name from the 30s or 40s, I can’t help but believe it exists only as a watered down, family version of King Kong. All the elements are there, giant ape, wildlife preserve, poachers, climbing tall building in the city, etc. However, the difference is in Joe’s personality, which is very playful, something that I don’t believe we ever saw from King Kong. That slight change makes a huge difference, believe it or not.

What didn’t I like?

Twirl the moustache. Often, I will hear critics refer to villains as “cartoony” or the “twirl the moustache” kind. Well, the villain here is one that I feel belongs in that category. He has everything that you ask for in a cartoon villain. Mysterious European accent, quest for revenge because of something that happened in his younger days, intriguing facial hair…all check. The only thing missing was the black cape and top hat!

We should care, because? As expressive as Joe’s facial expressions were, I had a hard time finding a reason that we as an audience should care whether he lives or dies. There was no connection between him and us, so by the time the ferris wheel scene comes and Joe falls off, it is hard to feel anything for him. Same goes for when he goes on his rampages. Granted, this may just be me and my black hole for a heart, but I felt nothing. He was just a big ape, honestly.

Editing. I have an issue with the herky jerking editing that was done in this film. In one scene, everyone is in Africa, the next they’re on the road to Hollywood. Nothing wrong with that per se, but it almost felt like one of those Family Guy cutaways, where something happens and then the next scene is totally different setting. It seems that Disney was going more for the serious filmmaking side of things with this film, as opposed to something like George of the Jungle, which was a live action cartoon. Better editing would have helped that situation.

Apparently, the little woman loved Mighty Joe Young when it came out, so I have a feeling this will not be the last time I see it, and that’s okay. Truth be told, I didn’t find this to be a horrible film. Some scenes are quite emotional, there’s some action, romance, comedy, and a villainous poaching plot. By all means this should be a great film, but something is hindering it from making that step. I cannot put my finger on it, but I think it might be related to the original, which I will eventually get around to watching. So, do I recommend this? Yes, it is a quality family film that can be enjoyed by all without worries of language, sexual situations, or violence. Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars

Our Family Wedding

PLOT (spoiler alert!!!):

Marcus Boyd (Lance Gross) has recently graduated from Columbia Medical School and is headed to Laos for a year to work with Doctors Without Borders. Unbeknownst to their respective parents, Marcus and his fiance Lucia (America Ferrera) have been living together and would like to get married before they both head off to Laos.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Marcus’ father Brad (Forest Whittaker) is coming out of a meeting when he sees his car being towed by Miguel (Carlos Mencia), who happens to be Lucia’s father. Brad tries unsuccessfully to halt the tow by holding on to the door of his car. Both Miguel and Brad hurl various racially-based insults at one another. Brad and Miguel meet later that evening and discover that they will soon be in-laws. Both Marcus’ and Lucia’s family try to out do one another to make the wedding more African-American or Mexican-American, with comedic results.

Lucia has also not told her parents that she recently dropped out of Columbia Law School to volunteer teach at a charter school catering to recent immigrants. This leads Miguel to believe that she will be supporting Marcus as he volunteers as a doctor without pay. When Miguel tells Marcus that he disapproves of him living off, Lucia says nothing. Marcus feels abandoned and ultimately calls off the wedding.

Lucia’s sister Isabel (Anjelah Johnson) makes Lucia and the rest of the family realize that Marcus makes Lucia happy and that race should not matter. Lucia goes to Marcus, they reconcile, and they end up having a wedding that embraces both African and Mexican customs.

REVIEW:

So, let’s see here…a movie about a couple who haven’t told their parents they’re living together (not to mention other things), have made drastic decisions in their lives, and are ready to get married. Don’t forget that said couple is interracial. Surely, Our Family Wedding will be awesometacular, right?

What is this about?

Two domineering dads are forced to set aside their cultural differences, team up and plan their children’s wedding with only two weeks until the big day arrives. Can they lay their feud to rest before they ruin the wedding?

What did I like?

Mind of Mencia. A few years back, Carlos Mencia had a show on Comedy Central, Mind of Mencia, that everyone was praising as the next Chappelle’s Show, and quite honestly it was nearly as funny. All of a sudden, though, it disappeared. Unlike with Dave, though, Carlos didn’t cancel it at the height of its popularity, the network did. I don’t really know why, but they did. Since then, he’s been doing comedy tours and whatnot, but nothing major, so it was good to see him in a major film, and in a starring role, no less. Hopefully, this won’t be the last we see of him.

America, the beautiful. I never watched Ugly Betty when it was on, though I was curious what all they hype was about. I said the same thing about Ally McBeal, tuned in one day and was sorely disappointed, so I’m a little gun-shy about hyped shows nowadays. I love America Ferera, though. A woman in Hollywood who embraces her natural, curvy body gets mad props from me. While I wasn’t a fan of the way her character acted throughout this film, I chalk that up to the way she was written. It speaks volumes that she was able to overcome bad writing and morph into sch a beautiful character.

Wedding. The wedding and everything leading up to it was a bit predictable, but I have to say that once they pulled it off, the audience just sits back and breathes a sigh of relief that it is actually happening, because for more than a few moments throughout the whole picture, it looked like it wasn’t.

What didn’t I like?

Side quests. Obviously, the focal point of this film is the wedding and relationship between the two leads, but it seemed like every single other character had some kind of personal issue that had to be dwelt upon, much to the audience’s dismay. The worst of which, I think, had to be the bride’s mother not feeling pretty or wanted. Look at that woman and tell me she isn’t sexy! Quite a departure from her days in the final seasons of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Sure, she’s no Salma Hayek, Maria Canals Barrera, or Constance Maria, but she’s still smokin’, which brings to question how did a guy like Carlos land her and why she would even think such a thing.

Predictability. If you’re looking for something unexpected to happen, then this isn’t the film for you. From the moment you see the opening credits to the time the final credits roll, there is nothing that can’t be figured out almost immediately.

Get your goat. Apparently, there is some kind of Spanish/Mexican wedding tradition involving a goat. As you can surmise, the goat gets into everything, including the groom’s father’s Viagra pills. Since the goat is part of tradition, I can’t say it was a bad thing to have it there, but as far as just randomly having a goat present…well, that’s a new set of issues. I can’t help but wonder why they brought in this goat.

Missing sections. Before heading into the last act, there seems to be a nice flow going on, then  it seems as if a big chunk of the film that explains why certain things happen. I can’t really tell you what happened to those scenes, if they exist, but whoever is responsible for editing/cutting this film needs to be fired, if they haven’t been already, because there is no excuse for this madness!

Our Family Wedding wasn’t as horrible as I had expected it to be, but it also wasn’t a slam dunk, either. I found the fact that the families weren’t doing anything but fighting to be a big drag on the film, but not as much as the fact that nothing new was brought to the table. As far as a romantic comedy goes, this isn’t necessarily that bad, but it isn’t the best. I’d say watch it sometime when it pops up on television one night.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Poetic Justice

PLOT:

Justice (Janet Jackson) is a young woman living in South Central, Los Angeles. She was named Justice by her late mother, who gave birth to her while attending law school. After the shooting death of her boyfriend (Q-Tip), the young woman becomes deeply depressed. Shortly thereafter, she meets a Post Office clerk and single father named Lucky (Tupac Shakur), who embarks with her on a trip to Oakland with Iesha and her boyfriend Chicago (played by Regina King and Joe Torry, respectively). In classic Hollywood type, the young woman’s heart opens to her suitor’s attentions as she finds a new meaning for life.

REVIEW:

Some people have called this film Boyz N the Hood lite. I really don’t understand that, since they have little in common with each other, but to each their own, I suppose.

Poetic Justice is a film about Justice, a single woman who writes these beautiful poems and her relationship with Lucky, the mailman who wants out of the ‘hood. Of course, these two don’t begin the film together, as a matter of fact when they first meet, Justice is still mourning the loss of her previous boyfriend who was shot at the drive in right in front of her, but this wouldn’t be a Hollywood production if the two didn’t get together, especially over the course of a road trip.

When this film was released there was one reason, and one reason alone, I wanted to see it…JANET JACKSON!!!

Hey, don’t judge me! I was a teenage boy at the time, and she was one of the many women plastered on my wall!

As time has passed, though, I have come to realize what a great film this is…and Janet is still a major reason for watching this!

First off, let me mention the drive-in. This is one of those pieces of Americana that seems to have disappeared overnight, so anytime I see one on-screen, I have to mention them. I wasn’t around in their heyday, but I did have the opportunity to go to a double feature at one back in 2004. I loved it! It really is a shame they can’t make a comeback!

Back to Poetic Justice…with a title like that, you know there has to be some sort of poetry, right? Well, there is, written so eloquently by Maya Angelou.

The story, albeit a bit cliché and predictable, is actually quite interesting. Seeing these characters develop as individuals and their feelings for each other is a real treat. This filmmaker really did a good job making it believable on film.

I will say, though, that the subplot with the supporting characters seemed a bit…I don’t know…either forced or forgotten, depending on how you look at it.

The themes throughout this film are probably what makes it so memorable. Urban living, single father trying to make it, etc. Real life situations that people can relate too, not to mention characters that seem like you would know them.

Janet Jackson shines in this role. It makes me wonder why she really hasn’t done more acting. I guess she didn’t want to get overexposed, she is shy after all.

Tupac…R.I.P…also does a real good job with his role and the chemistry between he and Janet had me wanting to do bad things to him. No worries, that’s a good thing…a testament to how good he was in this film. Shame his life was cut shirt before we cold see what else he could do on screen.

Poetic Justice is one of those films that has a little bit of something for everyone. Keanu Reeves is actually in here somewhere, but I didn’t see him. Do I recommend this? Yes, unless you just hate dramas, chances are you’ll thoroughly enjoy this picture.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Ant Bully

PLOT:

The story is about a lonely 10-year-old boy named Lucas Nickle (Zach Tyler Eisen) who has just moved to a new neighborhood. His parents, who fail to understand his problems, go on a honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, leaving him with his older sister and his Grandmother (Mommo), who obsesses over aliens and UFOs. Tormented by a local bully and his gang, Lucas in turn attacks an anthill, flooding it with a squirt gun. This terrifies the ants, who call him Peanut the Destroyer (Peanut being his mother’s nick name for him). One ant, an eccentric wizard named Zoc (Nicolas Cage), tries to fight back. His girlfriend, a nurse ant named Hova (Julia Roberts), believes in finding a more peaceful solution by attempting to communicate with Lucas. She is almost crushed by Lucas while trying to do so but is rescued by Zoc. After a devastating attack floods the hatching chambers, the leaders of the colony decide to use a potion (which Zoc made from some magical gemstones) to shrink Lucas down to size of an ant.

Meanwhile, the local exterminator, Stan Beals (Paul Giamatti), convinces Lucas to sign a contract to kill the local vermin. Late that night, Zoc and a small troop of ants sneak into Lucas’s house and pour the potion into his ear. Lucas wakes up and discovers that he is now as tiny as an ant (since his underwear didn’t shrink with him, he is also naked). The boy is then carried to the anthill and cast down into a world of giant caves, caterpillars, and ants. Zoc insists that Lucas should be killed, but he is overruled by the imposing, awe-inspiring Queen ant (Meryl Streep). In her wise reasoning, she sentences Lucas to hard labor until he can be considered an ant, for she believes that the colony could be improved this way. Hova volunteers to train Lucas, much to Zoc’s mortification. Hova develops a delicate friendship with Lucas when they both learn more about the differences between ants and humans. But when she forces him to undertake a mission foraging for coveted sweet-rocks (known to humans as jelly beans) under the supervision of a tough female ant named Kreela (Regina King) and a macho scout leader named Fugax (Bruce Campbell) Lucas is ultimately unsuccessful. Suddenly, the ants tending the caterpillar herds are attacked by wasps. Lucas tries to save himself at first; when he finds a discarded firecracker, he uses it to scare away the wasps. This earns him the admiration and respect of all the ants – with the exception of Zoc, who believes him to be still an incorrigible Destroyer who only cares about himself.

Lucas is then invited to eat with the ants; he is introduced to honeydew, a preparation made from the feces of caterpillars. This disgusts Lucas, who is soothed by Hova and a delicious alka-root in a water drop. Lucas is later shown a painting which depicts the Great Ant Mother and the evil “Cloud-Breather”, whom Lucas recognizes as an exterminator. Lucas is told of the prophecy that the Great Ant Mother will return one day to them and will shower the ants with honeydew, while the Cloud-breather, all insects’ mortal enemy, will spell destruction for all of them. He and his new friends go back to his house, where he tries to call the exterminator to cancel the contract but dials a pizza restaurant instead. Then Lucas’ sister comes home and they are forced into hiding until dark. When Zoc finds out about the contract, he accuses Lucas of further treachery and tells him that he should find another wizard because there is no way that he will give Lucas the potion to turn him back again. Lucas runs away, frightened, and Hova becomes angry with Zoc. But when Lucas is swallowed by a frog, a repentant Zoc uses alka-root to free him. Afterwards, while the others sleep, Zoc and Lucas discuss the differences between ant society and human society. Lucas keeps yawning and Zoc is disgusted by it, at first thinking he was ill. Zoc states that in essence humans work for personal gain whereas ants work for the benefit of the colony. Here, he starts acting a like a father-figure for Lucas while he is an ant.

That morning, Fulgax wakes everyone up screaming, ‘Praise The Mother!’ seeing a large pink ant with white wings and a crown over her head. Upon further inspection, Lucas realizes that the ‘Ant Mother’ is actually a giant balloon that Beal’s Pest Control uses as a symbol. While the colony is cheering, Zoc uses his magic to teleport them to the center of the crowd. ‘That is not the Ant Mother! It is a Cloud-Breather!’ Zoc yells.

Lucas reveals everything to the other ants; although initially angry at him, they are placated by his plan of defense. He enlists the aid of their natural enemies, the wasps. During the battle with the exterminator, Lucas saves the lives of Hova and an injured wasp. Finally, with the help of a beetle and glowworm also rescued from the frog earlier, and the leader of the wasps, he injects Stan Beals with a potion that reduces him to infantile size. The queen then pronounces Lucas an ant. She names him Rokai, as such to be forever known by the entire colony. Zoc gives him the antidote to the shrinking potion. Once full-size, Lucas stands up to the bully and inspires other kids to do so, including members of the bully’s own gang. The bully runs away and Lucas and the other kids become friends. Lucas then showers the colony with jelly beans as a farewell gift.

REVIEW:

The concept of this film is pretty well thought out, but something about the way it was executed just didn’t resonate with me. Don’t get me wrong, its a cute film and teaches a good less and all, but it just seemed to lack that wow factor yo get from Pixar films, or the comedic element in the Shrek franchise. I guess what I’m trying to say is that for me it felt like this film was trying to be too serious.

The voice casting is pretty good, though I think many of them just signed on because of their kids (or grandkids). Many say that Nicholas Cage is an overrated actor. I am not one that falls in that category, but at the same time, I’m not going to say he’s one of the best. Hearing him as the voice of Zoc, though, makes one see why many think he’s not that great. His performance ws quite flat.

Julia Roberts comes off as very motherly.

Regina King isn’t as sassy as we are accustomed to in her previous roles, but it is a welcome change for her to be a little soft for once.

Bruce Campbell, like King, departs from his normal characterization…slightly, but it is still Campbell, brash and sarcastic.

Paul Giamatti is pretty good as the exterminator, who serves as the villain for this film. The animators even went so far as to base the character off of his appearance, it appears.

Meryl Streep is the perfect queen of ants, but I wish she would have more lines.

The animators took more time with putting details into the bottom of shoes than they did everything else.

The action scenes are pretty good, but could be better.

This is a good family film, but it is too flawed for me to say that I wished I would have seen it in theaters. It has the feel of a direct-to-DVD film, to be honest with you. It is far from Pixar or Dreamworks quality, but it’s decent enough to watch if it comes on TV.  If you really want to watch an ant or bug film, I suggest Antz or A Bug’s Life.

3 out of 5 stars

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, & Blonde

PLOT:

Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) wants her Chihuahua, Bruiser, to reunite with his mother, because she would like Bruiser’s mother to attend her wedding. Elle hires a detective to find Bruiser’s mother, only to discover that the company that has her dog’s mother is a cosmetics company that uses Bruiser’s mother for cosmetic testing. She finds out that her law firm represents the C’est Magnifique Corporation, and at her annual review proposes to law firm management that the firm encourage C’est Magnifique to stop animal testing. Elle argues that the animal testing is unjust, and as a result, she is fired from her law firm.

Elle decides to leave Boston, where she had settled with her fiancé, and move to Washington, DC. Elle is so upset that her dog’s mother is in a make-up testing laboratory, that she decides to take it upon herself to have a “voice for those who can’t speak”, and to outlaw animal testing.

While working for Congresswoman Victoria Rudd (Sally Field), Elle is met with skepticism and other barriers common to Washington politics. One of her new co-workers remarks that she is “Capitol Barbie!”, (there has even been a Barbie doll based on Elle Woods). After a variety of ups and downs including a failed attempt to improve her work environment by having her co-workers write compliments about one another and place them in the “snap cup”, Elle starts to lose her faith in Washington politics.

As the story moves along, Elle discovers that Bruiser is actually gay, after she is paged by “The Paws that Refreshes: A Doggy Day Spa.” Bruiser has been affectionate with Leslie, a Rottweiller owned by Representative Stan Marks (Bruce McGill). Elle also finds that Congresswoman Libby Hauser (Dana Ivey) was a member of Delta Nu (the sorority from the first film). As a result, Hauser warms to Elle and eventually comes to support Bruiser’s Bill.

Elle also discovers that Congresswoman Rudd has been working against her. Rudd has been doing so in an effort to satisfy the interests of a major campaign donor named “Bob” (who is never seen, but with whom Rudd has several telephone conversations). However, Rudd is eventually blackmailed into supporting Elle’s discharge petition, because Rudd’s Chief of Staff, Grace Rossiter (Regina King) eavesdrops on a recorded conversation during which Rudd admits to Elle that she has been working against Bruiser’s Bill in order to help Rudd’s sponsors who want to continue with tests on animals. Grace and Elle eventually reach a place of mutual respect, even though Grace openly dislikes Elle.

Elle’s discharge petition is successful, and Bruiser’s Bill is brought to the floor of the House. Elle gets married in a park in D.C., albeit not at Fenway Park as she had planned, but standing on the home plate which has been delivered to D.C. by the UPS Guy (Bruce Thomas). In the final scene of the movie, when Emmett asks where to live, Elle says, “Oh, I think I know just the place,” as they are driving by the White House.

REVIEW:

As good as the first Legally Blonde was, you would think a studio would know better than to attempt to recapture the magic with a sequel, but that was not the case with this film.

Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, and Jennifer Coolidge reprise their roles from the first film and are the heart and soul of the film.

Sally Field is a great actress without question, but this is a role that is beneath her. My guess is that she took it as a favor to someone, or just wanted to have fun being a Congresswoman. Whatever the case, her talent is wasted in this role.

Regina King can’t seem to play anything but tough roles. Even Huey and Riley, the characters she voices on The Boondocks, seem to be tough. I’m not sitting here saying she’s bad in this type of role, just a bit predictable, and it takes away from the enjoyment.

I don’t want anyone to think that this is a bad film, because it isn’t, but it doesn’t stack up to the original. That’s really sad when you consider this film has such potential, but sequels are a crap shoot. They either end up being really good, or really bad. This one leans more towards the latter.

Still, it isn’t a film to avoid like the plague. It is quite enjoyable, even if you haven’t seen the first film. There are plenty of funny moments to keep everyone entertained, and if you can get around the holes in the plot, you should really enjoy it.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars