AT THE MOVIES WITH KASEY BUTCHER
Sweet Home Alabama
Directed by: Andy Tennant
Reviewed by: Kasey Butcher
Thank God for Alabama, for it saved Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blonde) from making a huge mistake and me from having to see two movies again in order to find one to recommend. Sweet Home Alabama is an adorable movie that proves that you can “take the girl out of the honky-tonk, but you can’t take the honky-tonk out of the girl,” and that a girl can get her guy and her dream all at the same time.
Melanie Carmichael, a.k.a. Melanie Smooter, is like a modern-day Cinderella plucked from Alabama and dropped in New York City to make something spectacular out of herself. She is about to hit it big as a fashion designer and is engaged to her own Prince Charming (and charming he is, to the point of being disgustingly sappy, this coming from the girl who watches movies from the 30’s). There is one thing getting in the way of Melanie marrying Andrew (Patrick Dempsey, Once & Again, Scream 3). She’s already married! Now she has to go back and face her past, her family, and her belligerent husband, Jake (Josh Lucas, A Beautiful Mind). At first Jake won’t grant her a divorce, but, as the day of Melanie’s wedding draws nearer, she begins to ask herself whether she really wants one after all.
Sweet Home Alabama is a very funny movie that has a few lines ranking right up there with “we’re all fruit” (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). It is a movie that can be seen with anyone. My girlfriends liked it, my guy friends liked it, the little girls I baby-sit liked it, and my friend’s mom liked it. It may have been a little (okay a lot) on the predictable side, but it didn’t drag and was a fun movie to watch. The film had a believable storyline and characters, and besides who doesn’t like Reese Witherspoon? The movie also had a great, up-beat sound track. I’m still singing “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Like Melanie, I am a very ambitious girl and there were times when I was afraid that she was going to give up her dreams for the sake of a guy, but the ending left me, and everyone around me satisfied and happy (be sure to stick around during the credits to find out what happened to all of the characters after the last scene).
In Sweet Home Alabama, Witherspoon has the opportunity to play many sides of a character. There is spunky Melanie, angry Melanie, confused Melanie, evil, drunk Melanie, and in the end, happy Melanie. Well, maybe it wasn’t that big of a challenge, but I can’t think of anyone better for the part. Like I said, who doesn’t like Reese Witherspoon? I would seriously recommend this movie to anyone and everyone. It may not be a phenomenal, award-winning picture, but it is fun, funny, and an all-around good movie.
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