Following your ex-boyfriend all the way to Harvard law school may, at first glance, not appear to be an inspirational narrative for the modern university student. However, Legally Blonde, following Elle Woods after she is dumped for being “too blonde” and subsequently applies for Harvard, is a must watch for back to school motivation.
Before Uni, my pre-exam routine was always to watch Legally Blonde- it’s a tactic which I’ve continued at Uni and I would urge everybody to do the same. The montage of Elle and her sorority prepping for her LSAT (and her acing it) is the perfect study motivation, and who doesn’t need to get back in the academic mindset after a long summer?
Elle, played by Reese Witherspoon, is introduced as a stereotypical sorority girl; blonde, decked in pink, and with a vegan chihuahua to match. Her journey from fashion major to law student doesn’t diminish or poke fun at her interests, but instead they are one of her major strengths. In both the film’s primary plot, providing the defence case for a woman convicted of murdering her husband, and its many subplots, it is Elle staying true to herself that saves the day- an important message for any incoming university student.
The montage of Elle and her sorority prepping for her LSAT (and her acing it) is the perfect study motivation, and who doesn’t need to get back in the academic mindset after a long summer?
The film may be the epitome of early 2000s nostalgia, but in many ways it subverts the typical messages of films of the period, instead defying expectations with an overtly feminist narrative. Elle is frequently undermined by her peers and tutors, having to fight allegations that she was only accepted due to her appearance. It’s an accusation which many women have to deal with. Lesser films might provide a solution to Elle’s problem of acceptance by having her abandon her more traditionally feminine interests, but instead the film fights the suggestion that femininity is a weakness. Elle’s positivity and self-love might be cheesy, but it’s the exact energy that’s needed starting a new academic year. Boasting a stellar cast, and a scene where Jennifer Coolidge steals a dog, what is not to love?
