Robert Luketic - Legally Blonde

0:00 I am a man, discovered fire, invented the wheel. I know a lot of things, but I don't know everything. I don't know about underwire discomfort, I don't know about I don't know about pedicures. I don't know about stashing roll up flats in your purse in case of heel breaks. I don't know about sinking cycles. And I do not know what to think about today's movie. Oh God, let's talk and tell you're wrong already, So. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about a film by Robert lukettch his two thousand and one law school comedy Legally Blonde. Hello, everybody, I'm Jeff Johnson, him.

1:11 Amber Lewis, Sima Virgo Prescatarian. And I'm Angela Norris, an actual blonde on the show. And this is a film by podcast. We are in the middle of summer vacation. We've the whole thought was, hey, let's give the team, oh summer break. We're gonna take some trips. We had some we've had We've had some pretty stellar guests show up. And in the middle of all this, you two said, hold up, you're we looked at the schedule. You're forgetting Legally blonde and I I said no, no, I'm not, and you guys we're ready to riot. So look, it's actually nobody puts I believe today is the anniversary. It is the twenty fifth anniversary of Legally Blonde. Today and this is Robert Lukettch's feature film debut.

2:18 HM. So you guys listen, I'm I'm gonna be fair, but I'm gonna be firm. But I'm also gonna know my place for most of this episode and stake old. Don't worry if you don't, one of us or both will remind you. No, I listen, I know, I know you both love this film. So we're gonna get to it. Uh, Lukettch. Let me, let me, let me give you. Let me struggle to give you three things you may not know about this director and a quote. I know you guys probably did some some homework. There's little to nothing. Yeah, he's available about this. Yeah he's he's he's Australian. Okay, you this won't take long. Let me let me tell you what I know. He's Australian, he's openly gay, and at the age of twenty this is impressive. At the age of twenty seven, he tied Robert Rodriguez for the second youngest person to direct a film that opened number one of the box office.

3:17 Yeah, this Rodriguez Well, which I know we'll talk about later, but. Yeah, Rodriguez twenty seven years old. He does one of Amber's favorite films, right, Amber from Dust Till Dawn. Oh heck yeah, yeah, I tolt you look at me, like, where where's it going. I'm not setting you up like, no. I thought it was Desperado. You're going to be I have not been Desperado. But from us, guys, I love. Yeah. You guys want to take a guess, not to get not to get off the record immediately, but you want to take a guess a who the youngest filmmaker at twenty five? Well, no, well we're talking well Orson Wells. Yeah, but I'm talking about a filmmaker that opened a movie.

4:00 Oh like crash the box office. Yeah, he was twenty five years old when he did it. And we've covered him once or twice in prior seasons. Amazing filmmaker. Talking about John Singleton, a movie he does, right, no, no, but justice. Yeah, Boys in the Hood probably his his best film, but that was never going to open number one just because of the content. Great film, great film. Back to Luketch. Two projects he's long been attached to direct, and I don't think they're ever going to happen, but one a film adaptation of the TV series Dallas.

4:46 I don't care. I don't know, but it would be well, I'll say, i'd never got into why is this such a big deal? Yeah, I don't understand it. But I'll tell you what. I'll watch. I'll watch that one long before I watched the other one. He's been attached back in two thousand. Back in twenty twenty four, he was slated to direct the biopic All Out of Love, the Air Supply story. You know what, until this, I don't know why. I always thought Air Supply was the Canadian group, and I was like, oh, they're Australian, So. I don't know. Yeah, how I got that in My brother's like, oh okay. I don't see now. And I don't know how Air Supply got a biopic deal, Like what are we doing here unless.

5:33 Will Ferrell's other groups? If unless Will Ferrell's doing it with Jimmy you know, Jimmy Fallon, and it's gonna be like a comedic take. I don't know, but oh goodness, I'll just I'll tell you this. MGM signed off on this. When they greenlit this movie. They they thought they were going to get something else so interesting. Quote from Robert lukettch on MGM's misunderstanding of the film's progressively feel good message of women's empowerment. He had this to say, Initially, they thought it was going to be much more wet T shirts and boobs than it actually turned out to be. I'm gonna just go ahead and ask where was Where were any of the wet t shirts?

6:20 There was only one mentioned, but there was, yeah shown? Yeah, well Universal had initially. There were there were there were, but yeah, yeah. So I'm not. I'll go on record right now, I am not. I will never complain about Reese Weatherspoon and a swimsuit. She's she looks amazing. Uh Now, let's find out on the on the subject of amazing, let's find out who has the best five word synopsis. So we're gonna start with Angelo Angela. All of them. I'm gonna go, yeah, settle on this one. You get well, I think I think might have a good one, you know, I may I may have tipped my hand already. You may you may be getting the the inclination that I'm I'm not a fan of this movie, but I feel like I got a good five word synopsis for it. But Angela, using exactly five words, tell us what is legally blonde? All about?

7:16 Underestimated blonde triumphs at Harvard? That is very accurate. That is very accurate. Amber. Uh, you happen to love the five words synopsis? Oh what do you got for us? She dreams about this I do every day. You're so good at it. Though you're so good at it torture. But this one I'm actually kind of excited about because I cracked myself up and I thought, okay, so it may not be a very going by. I'm as funny. Uh, witness lies about washing hair? Okay, when she was in the shower, Yes, she was in the shower.

8:00 I think we have established. Slightly I'm slightly Captain America. Like I understood that reference. I get it a little bit. I got I got one for you. Okay, how about this one? Clueless goes to Harvard Law Another don't. Blonde blonde? Nola? Just wait, wait, hold on, just hold on, hold on, just just hold I've got I've got plenty. You guys have heard of one other movie with a blind. I've said five words. Wait, hold on, I've got plenty for you guys to argue about here coming up. All I'm saying is you've got a you know, a strong female character who's underestimated and you know overcomes, like like shows that she can can win the day.

8:56 I think you need to watch Clueless again. Yeah I don't. It's a different Yeah, well. One, I mean clues for fos sake. Okay, just we're moving. I like, okay, we're gonna be twenty minutes on five words. You guys are already fighting. This is why it sucks. We need to come up with something else. No, No, we don't. Amber. People love this and it's never gonna go away. All right, So here, I. Was super gonna be diplomatic and allol nice of about okay, fine, all right, so imatically want to think I'm punching, And I was like, no, I was merely going. To share Amber. Fine, let's go ahead. Amber already showed me the shive off camp. I'm ready. Well, I wasn't doing this. I was merely offer it.

9:37 You're more of a background information, of of trying to context. But that's all right, let's go to cast and crew. Let's get along talking about Reese and. Well, hold on, before we get to that, I want to know that I want to talk about this. So, with exception of Selma Blair's character, every female in this film is either portrayed as an airhead or they're just they're just annoying as hell. And you two ladies are very intelligent, you're determined, you're strong willed, you're hilarious. So my question before we even get in the movie, tell me what the appeal is for for you guys, and maybe that helps me better understand why this film was and continues to be successful, because let's I'm gonna call it right now. This is a successful film. It has launched a successful franchise, it's on Broadway, it's there's a new TV series on Prime. So Amber, let me start with you. What's what's the appeal?

10:34 Well, I question your characterization of all the other females in the movie because they're not all airheads. No, no, I didn't say they all. I said they're they're they're portrayed his airheads, like all her sorority sisters or they're just annoying. But anyways, that's. A matter of opinion. Like I don't I don't know who you think is annoying? Will be here all night. But no, I just that's not the question. That's not the question. Is that who is. Telling me that Holland Taylor is annoying because she's the smartest woman in the room. You're telling me that annoying because she has control of her courtroom?

11:16 I said, I said, most let's go. Even then, you're you're still wrong, You're still Here's the point. The point is. The point is I have I got it. I'm just asking you what what's the appeal for you? What? I want to know why you enjoy it? That's all because it's not it's portrayed as this ditsy girl decides to go to Harvard and won't that be funny? And when you get into it and you pay attention, what you find out is she was never done. No, I mean she expectations. That people set for her. Yeah, and you know she is absolutely ambitious and driven and focused, and so are a lot of the women in this story. And it's about women, you know, being kind and lifting each other up, and it's about, you know, someone rising above the expectations that people set for her and setting better expectations for herself.

12:23 Okay, I think I'm jumping ahead here. Reee Weatherspoon's amazing, and I do really like the What's what I was? I like, I like the goodness of her character. Yes, she's kind, I'm good. Yeah, well yeah, very good intention, thank you. And look, I'm probably gonna have to say some nice things along the way about the film. I can't avoid it, so just I just want to warn you I'm gonna have to show some compliments here in there. It's amazing anyways. Okay, so Angela stretch, what's the Angela europel like? Tell me?

13:08 Tell me, tell me about your your relationship with this movie. Okay, Well, being a blonde myself, I've heard growing up every single blonde joke whatever. And of course I always had a's and b's, I always excel things like that. So I did like, while this is a blonde from California, a different background, things like that, and because she talked a certain way or you know, people. Automatically assume she was an airhead. But even though you know she's got a four point We learned she knows she's got a four point oh you know in the fashion major. She is kind and I did like that feeling of like that sisterhood would. Yes, her two close friends, Yes, the one she was definitely more of the stereotypical blonde, uh you know that that airhead aspect. But but they were there for each other and support and that you know, like in the opening where they're all signing a card wishing her, you know, luck, just that that sisterhood. I never really had a lot of girlfriends. I usually had, you know, mostly guy friends, So I like that that that appealed to me, Like what would that be like with that and then using a relationship that you know, you thought or was hoping would go one way and it didn't, but along the way, using that as a way of springboarding into who you were meant to be, learning more about yourself.

14:34 And like you said, you know, am Or made a good point. You know, there are those expectations that are just kind of set for her and then not really expected much, I mean even from her parents, but feeling like there is something bigger than her she just can't quite figure out, you know what. And this ending of a relationship. Catile pults her into a very different world, into a lot of different persons. But just that that finding herself and and once she taps in and zoned in on that and not focuses on an outside person, she really gets to reach her potential and what she really can do, you know, in the world, and and and extend that good so and along the way, you know, a friendship, you know with paultte like them trying encouraging each other rather than you know, usually women are routinely like tearing each other down.

15:25 That is, the store owners. There's a lot I'm sorry, the store like. The like the the annoying store of the store, the clerks at the store. Yes, like those are those were bitches, yes though, I mean, and that's under underestimate you know this. And then knowing that she knows her stuff and where you know, this person thought she was gonna get a quick one just because you know she's. A blonde and what. Yes, she's comes from money and things like that, but she knows her stuff and knows, you know, not to get so with that. Yes, that's her niche. But she is very smart about that and knows you know, all with that so well. In her development of her relationship with Vivian, because they can have each other's eyes out there the whole movie, and that would have been completely stupid chatty.

16:13 It would have been totally catty. That would have been annoying. But they really kind of, Yeah, they found a common ground and actually was you know Vivian who kind of helped open up that door when Lle tried to and kind of get kind of kept having that slammed in her face. But I like we were trying to lift each other up and and also not fight over a bonehead dude who. Really isn't that good. There has really anything to offer either one of them. And you know, if you when you. Focus on yourself or your friendship with you know, with that, those are what's what's important and that will bring you, know that those good collections and and those good life you know, with that.

16:53 I like I like the I like the zag that they they end up as friends. I thought that was nice. And uh, we're gonna take a break and then we're gonna come back. We're gonna talk about Reese Weatherspoon, We're gonna talk about who could have played this role. Yeah, we're gonna talk about some of her troubles that she had. H We'll be right back, welcome back, and bern Angelo are talking about legally blonde, and I'm here to say, you know, a lot work a lot less as we continue as little as possible. I don't have a whole lot of mean things to say, truthfully, and I got some nice things to say. But Reese Witherspoon kind of like, yeah, you gotta think this is two thousand and one. She's up against Charlie theirn Gwyneth Paltrow, Alicia Silverstone, Christina Applegate, Jennifer love Hewett, and Catherine Heigel, and I gotta tell you they were all absolutely wrong for this role, Like Reese is the clear choice. Are you like those names? Amber, any of those names that you just heard, any of them make you pause and go WHOA?

18:09 I mean maybe Christina Applegate maybe? Okay, now you know she actually it was hers. She turned it down because she didn't want to be considered like another airhead, ditzy blonde, like she was playing I'm married with children, and she did that. She was a legit she was she was legit dumb. But she you know, Applegate did like late like later on, she was like, you know, I regret that I should have taken the role. And I don't know. I mean, I think she's more talented than people give her credit for. Oh yeah, honest, incredibly funny. So I know a lot of people don't love it, but I happen to be a fan of Don't tell Me on The Babysitters Dead. I think she's awesome in that where she you know, and she does the whole I can do this, and she you know, does a little secret of my success, sneaks in, you know, takes over the company kind of. It's it's it's a good movie.

19:05 But now Luketch claimed he's he's reading the script and on page five he claims he knew Reese had to play l but in Gim was not convinced. Uh, citing her role Amber Scotta love this, Jim. Jim cites cites her role as Tracy Flick in a movie called Election, which is awesome, which hates. Uh. Yeah, they made her audition, Yeah, they made her audition several times. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Witherspoon explained, and I'm quoting her here, they thought I was a shrew My manager finally called and said, you've got to go meet with the studio head because he will not approve you. He thinks you really are your character from election and that you're repellent. Oh and I was told to dress sexy. Yeah, I.

20:03 Read that made me gag, like, well. Awful? Hold on? Wait is her manager? Do we know? Is her manager? Because I didn't, I didn't read this is the manager, her manager agent? Whatever? Is? Is it? A female or male? It's not their fault, it's the studio head's fault. Well, but to see her in a mini skirt. Well I don't think that. I think, Well, Amber, I know you know you you're disdained for Alexander Payne's election is legendary, But think about think about what she looked like in that movie, because Elle, you know she's she's they jokingly call her Malibu Barbie and she does her whole bikini. She's Miss Hawaiian Tropic.

20:48 Like that's the only movie. Well, I get it, but you know, if you're if you're locked into. She was runner up of Hawaiian Tropics. Thank you the runner up? Why why would you want to throw that away? Her contract stipulated that she keep all her costumes after filming. Mm hm, not. A bad not a bad gig. Listen Reese is amazing. I think she's a very impressive actress. And all those names, I'm thinking maybe Applegate. I'm with you, guys, I agree, I think Applegate. Maybe I could have done it. But the rest of them, it would have been like a straight to video. It would have given off straight to video vibes. And you know.

21:34 Balance. I mean you you see a very good, like human side, you know to her, and how deeply she feels and how she's willing to help others. I mean, you see, you have several examples, you know, yeah, you know yeah. Luke Wilson as Emmitt Richmond. The screenwriters, I forget both these ladies' names. They're talented. Uh, they've written some good Karen McColo, Lutson, Kurston Smith. Thank you Angela. So it was so they envision Wilson while they're crafting the love interest character, and after an endless amount of guys have auditioned, they go to Lukettitch and they and they they say, how about we audition Luke Wilson for the Luke Wilson role, which I kind of like their like their snarky guess there, I like, Well, I'm a I'm a Luke Wilson guy. I like him.

22:36 Does he has is there is there any movie where he's You've like, you guys have watched him and you're like, Luke Wilson, he's great. I think. That really comes to obvious mind. But I but I don't watch any of the Wes Anderson movies that he's in, so I those would probably throw because I'm not a Wes Anderson film person, so I haven't watched those. But stuff, if I angela, if I make if I make like several pictures of Margarita's, will you come over and watch The World ten and Bombs with me and Amber? Because it's a genius film. It's so good. Yeah, I'm gonna have to. Well, yeah, I'm gonna have to because maybe I do need to watch that with other people.

23:21 But yeah, I just there's just Hackman. So yeah, so just Wes Anderson in general, Like you're not you're not a Wes Anderson fan, like you don't like is it just like. Yeah, I think it's just the time. I mean, I'm sure everything you know is good about it, but it just nothing kind of that I connected with. So, I mean, I'm not saying he's awful or anything. He's just back cup of tea or anything. Was was he your baccolades and things? But was he? Was he your cup of tea? In Old School two thousand and three, that. Was a funny movie. I still will quote that. Oh yeah, I probably quote the streaking thing at least. Yeah. Once we can't work just to break the dungeon sometimes.

24:04 Yeah, yeah, he's pretty funny. I like those roles and he you know. It was I mean idiocracy that it was. It was. It was Old School where his friends Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughan gave him a new nickname. Throughout that production, he was referred to as legally Bland. I like how and what? Yeah? He plays I like, he usually plays the guy that you're like, you know what, he's a cool dude. He's a good hang like, he's trustworthy, like him the get go. Yeah, he's Well. What's what's good about him in this is that he's probably the first guy that has engaged with al and is not hitting on her. It is not trying to pick her up. He's just talking to a person on a bench, and he continues that, you know, nice guy with boundaries kind of moves that are working together.

25:04 And her too. Isn't he like a like an assistant. I know, he's just an. Associate of says, like doing research for him, like around campus and stuff. But he is. He is an associate lawyer with Callahan's firm. I liked him. I liked him. Let's talk about Jennifer Coolidge. She plays the. I love her, Oh my Paul, I love I love her so much. Okay, I'm gonna get this out of the way and then we can move on, not from I want to talk about Jennifer Coolidge, but I'm just gonna say it. Yeah, I would say maybe ninety percent of the stuff she's in I can't stand her. And that's not it's she's playing I.

25:46 Mean, like her other things, not this movie, or she's just kind of similar role. She's kind of like she's kind of victimized in this movie. She's kind of like the underdog in a way. She's good in this movie, but in a lot of other stuff, she's just annoying. I can't stand it. Like her her character on Frasier, I couldn't stand her character and two brut girls, couldn't couldn't stand. Have you seen Best in Show? Yeah, I don't remember. I really honestly, I don't remember. Oh my god, she is side splitting like funny. She's just so ridiculous. And her on White Lotus was something else, like I heard. About it, but I didn't like her in White Lotus. Yeah, I didn't like her. I'm sorry, I look, I'm just being I'm just being honest.

26:33 I know, I'm just but I liked. I liked her. She would probably annoy her character probably would annoying austin Land, but knowing like if it was actually perfect, Like she's just has no idea the understanding of Jane austin world. She just wants to go there and wear a corset and pretend she's in you know, the olden days, and she's I find her hilarious in that one too, but you might find her annoyment idea. Yeah, now, I didn't find her annoying in this, but again, she's playing a very almost a sad character. But I like again, she's an important moment because Elsie's the potential of using the law to better people's lives.

27:16 Yeah, but you know, and again I you know, I'll apologize for saying nice things about this movie. Uh. I think her character is it resonates because it's it's like el can show we can see the goodness like we were talking about earlier. We can see the goodness in l how she likes to lift people up. She's she's a very selfless character. And when you have someone like Paulette who's downtrodden and kind of been bullied and kind of just you know, never given the other she's almost like Adrian and Rocky One. Like she's in a different phase of her life too. Yeah, she's like she's had it, like she had her moment, but she didn't take her chance. Two other actresses.

28:00 Yes, I was just going to say they helped build each other's confidence as well, you know, getting back to that lifting each other up and listening and and really caring about Yeah, the other person's. Does the movie work if Kathy to Jimmy gets the role Amber. Yes, that would have been interesting. Okay, you're both there smiling. Okay. Apparently Carly Love was another option too. That was the other option, Courtney Love. Okay, I'm gonna say no, yeah, hell no, because I don't think anybody ever in the history of the world would ever believe that Courtney loves X would like take the trailer and the dog and she would allow that to happen.

28:44 Yeah, you're right, Yeah, you're right. Uh you know. Earlier this year, uh Coolidge claimed that this role was one of her all time favorite jobs, but she felt stupid during the audition process because she thought she was going in for l. That probably like sold them on her. I get that she's you know, she's blonde, and she's got the whole American pie thing. She's Stiffler's mom, But I mean definitely a bit out of the are you playing? Are you playing a sorority girl? Come on, I don't know Sma Blair playing Vivian So Chloe Sevigi is who they want. Yeah, she she's not gonna work. She didn't work.

29:28 She was suggested and everyone involved was like, no, mgim, we don't we don't want her. Uh Reese's friend her gal pal, Sema Blair, they'd worked together on cruel Intentions and they're like, yeah, let's just bring her in. Can I can? I just can I can I brag about Somema Blair for a quick moment. Yeah, We were the last the last con that we went to, Uh, the con men. We're up in Michigan, you know, for Motor City Con. Yeah, everyone where you got to meet my man Carl. That is, we're hanging out. We're hanging out with Carl Urban. But the talk of the con is Sama Blair. And the reason why is because apparently she is one of the friendliest, most engaging people you can meet if you go to one of these conventions. She you know, and I'll I'm not I'm not not throwing shade. There were some other celebrities, some other female celebrities that were very don't touch me, you can stand near me. I will sign something for you. One in particular was very you can stand, we'll take a photo, but you stand on that side of the table and I'll just lean back and we'll do it that way. Meanwhile, Sama Blair is not letting you leave unless you give her a hug, telling her why you're why you're there, and just she's spending all this extra time and no one's complaining. Everyone's like loving Sama Blair and wanting to talk with her, and apparently this is like her, this is her thing.

31:01 Like when she does these types of signings or she does these conventions. She wants to meet her fans. So I thought, I thought, well. We're not gonna judge people for establishing physical boundaries. But oh, I'm not saying that. That sounds very sweet of her, and I was not like the hugest fan of her. But she's in hell Boy, which is a favorite thing in the world, and he absolutely adores her because of her performance in those two movies. So she is she is really good. It's nice to hear that that she's awesome in real life. Yeah, she's very very good person in real life, which I like it. And she could have like this could have been very cliche. She could have like she could have played the caddy, you know, snooty Harvard girl. But I like that. Again, they they decide to zag instead of zig, and they let these two form a friendship and build to use your words, build each other up, you know. So I liked I liked her character, Like I thought Vivian was a cool character. We're gonna move on to the background. But there's one I found this out and I was like, oh, we're talking about this guy for a quick second.

32:11 I was gonna jump in if you missed it. Amber, Amber, Who who do I want to talk about? Go ahead and give us the name O Good Perkins. He's playing David Kidney, who he's like the. Nerdy guy, sweetest guy. Like, Okay, can I I don't want to make a habit of it, but can I say something that I really like about the movie? Can I say something was that I really enjoyed? Yes, this guy obviously super awkward, he's super he's a geek, he's you know, I think they call him dorky David. Yes, there's a scene that I really I really enjoyed where he is putting himself out there. He's trying to ask a girl out and Elle is walking by. She hears it, and the you know the bitchy girls like I can't believe you would even think to talk to me, like like you have a shot, blah blah.

32:59 You know. She's just cutting him to pieces and l walks over and does the coolest thing by smacking him in the face, and I'm like, what are we doing? And then she goes, I can't believe you did that to me and you didn't call me even, like totally makes the guy look like a stud. And then storms off and then then these the caddy bitches are like, so when are we gonna go out? You know? I love I love that. I love that moment for his character. And that's again like she she was listening. She just happened to be in that right place, right time, and. She's like, you know what, No, and then she made you know that thing up and and to help him and you know, put herself out there. And my favorite Reese Weatherspoon moment in this movie was that and that and look she's in the bikini several times and I'm saying, I'm saying this is my favorite for her. So, Amber, Why why do I need to talk about Osgood Perkins though?

33:52 Because his dad is Anthony Perkins. His dad absolutely amazing actor. Yeah, Anthony Perkins aka Norman Bates from the Psycho franchise and Angela Osgod. Perkins has recently found some critical acclaim as a director. Uh, there's a movie from twenty twenty four which has already become like a cult classic horror movie. And I would love to strap you down to a couch and if you watch it with us, Amber, did you watch Long Legs? No? Oh, it's batshit crazy it's so good. It's so good spiders. No, it has nothing to do with spiders. It's it's probably it feels it feels a little silence of the lambs ish And it's about about a female agent who's who's tracking a serial killer and the serial killer is known as long He's known as Long Legs.

34:52 Okay, story is it more psychological? Like psychological horror. There's one or two gory scenes. There's a scene where you're like, holy shit, and then and then after other than that, you're just you're creeped out, like you watch it and then you're like, I think I'm gonna go home and turn on all the lights. Plus I also want to take a shower because I. Yeah, I definitely don't want to watch that one by myself. We had her on the Royal tene bombs. Let's not push it, Yeah, okay. We won't. But Oz Good Perkins. When I found out he was the director of Long Legs, I was like, hell yes, because I think they're doing a sequel to Long Legs. Nicholas Cage is confirmed. I think he's coming back, which I'm like, how But more on that later or another time. Okay, all right, Uh so, as Angela pointed out earlier, this is the film is based off of Amanda Brown's novel of the same name. So the book comes out. I thought this was kind of cool. The book comes out. I'm sorry. She's attending Stanford, she's writing letters home, she's not happy, she doesn't fit in. She later compiles all of them into a manuscript, and then she sends that out. Angela, can you tell me the unique thing about this manuscript? She's sitting out to agents, Well, did you catch this?

36:09 Well, if it's what I think it is, she actually she's self published in two thousand and one, but the movie rights had already been I guess purchasing that time, because her actual novel doesn't come out until like two thousand and three. What's unique about her manuscript though? Oh, one agent in particular, she had sent it on She put it on pink paper, which then they did they made that. As part of the movie. Got L's resume and it sent it because it gives it a little something extra. I that scene, I've been I've been very nice towards the movie, so I gotta I'm gonna gonna double back. Yeah, that scene, I'm like, come on, No, no one in the right mind is doing resumes on pink paper, and then you find out in real life the author did in fact do it, and that's what got her right.

36:56 And I think that you know, thinking out of the box or not just being afraid to you know, express yourself into every ones But also it was a way. To stand out. No, that's not the standard you know, up tight tie to you know, things like that, the thinking that you you know, in order to be taken seriously to make it look like every single you know, other one. So it was just you know that little again that was having a little bit of an l quality you know to it, which yes, it could come across as you know, annoying or silly or whatever, but you know, good for you know, she's speaking of out, was trying to stick out, you know.

37:36 Speaking of L. Amanda Brown named the character L for what reason El. Magazine magazine because she was, yeah, she was goal she you know, was studying law, but she was a huge fan of fashion and reading the reading L fashion magazine. And she actually did go to some kind of you know, mixture or whatnot, and there was a woman there who had been trying to change semester to Ovester, which they did include in the film as well, and just that she couldn't really make friends with him, and she's like they were just a bunch of like angry people. And so she was started writing these funny letters about just everything that she was, you know, going through and and compiled it to make you know this, you know, just showing those uh, you know, assumption stereotypical and that you can come in all shapes and for me, you don't all have to be practically deformed.

38:35 Yeah, Amber, a movie in. Order you know, to be a lawyer be taken. Seriously, Amber, Christine Applegate, she turned us down. She regretted it. Do you think do you think Universal regretted passing on this and letting it drop right into MGM's lap. I mean, yeah, I'm sure that person got fired. I think I mean, this. Thing made like one hundred and twenty million over budget. Yeah, I think that person. I mean, MGM is struggling and they're like, we can we just scrounge up enough money and buy this and maybe maybe we could do something with it, and Universes like we're good, we got Draculine Frankenstein. We're fine. Uh, someone someone lost their job on this one. Definitely.

39:19 But I mean even though MGM misunderstood what it was about, I mean that just goes to show. Of of two of what happens. When you do invest in these stories with you know, empowering women and and you know not too. I mean we saw that, you know with Barbie. I mean Grennan, you know, a couple of decades later. But it's just. There is a need and there's yes and there you know, those are you know, those types of good you know vibes and you know with that and that Yes, if you invest in things like this, hell yeah, you know it's uh. But you know thetor there is everybody going to learning from it.

40:01 Probably not. I'm on the record, Barbie was a fantastic film. I did the Barbenheimer Weekend. We covered it. We did a little back of the box office action. So yeah, and I will even admit I had I was. Like, why are they making a Barbie? I'm like, this is oh my god. I just I thought it was going to be ridiculous. Yeah, I'm like I was just going to be a laughing stock of women. I'm like, this is just going to be a kick in the vagina. It's not going to help anyone. It's just awful. So I waited until. You know, it was available, you know, at home, and then I started hearing things. But I was like, okay, I will give us a try. If this is what I'm hearing is right, And yeah, I absolutely wound up loving it. I'm like, this is amazing that this was nothing what I was afraid it was going to be.

40:49 But you know, we've this show's been running strong for six and a half seasons. And if if someone to me that I was going to do it for like another twenty season, I would tell them that the one phrase that they will never hear is kick to the vagina. Thank you, thank you for that. Welcome. Let's go. Yeah, let's let's take a break because when we get back, we're gonna we're gonna talk about the scene. We're gonna talk about some numbers, and we'll see what Angela has to say. Okay, So, Amber, there's a scene you want to talk about. Before we talk about it, I want to know is it Are we talking about it because of a strong performance? Is it the pivotal moment? Is it because of the cinematography? Did it piss did it piss Amber Lewis off, like, what what scene? What? Why are you? Why are we talking about the scene you want to talk about?

41:55 Well, nothing in this movie pisses me off. I think this is a perfect movie. I love it and I will argue anyone about it. But no, I'm I'm gonna hedge a little bit. It's actually kind of two scenes. But you love the movie and it's summer break, so go for it. You can do if you want. But the storytelling in the two montages that we get where initially, you know, Elle goes to she decides she's going to go to Harvard, she goes to her advisor. Her advisor says, Okay, if you want to do it, these are the things that you need, and then she is one hundred percent focused on doing that thing, and so we see her forego any social life, any of the things she normally does. She's one hundred percent focused on making this happen, and it does, and then we get it again. After she realizes that, she says to Werner like, I'm never going to be good enough for you, and instead of saying like, well, the whole point of coming here was to get this guy back and so I might as well leave, because you know that was my purpose. She finds her true purpose, which is I'm going to excel at this. I'm not only going to stay.

43:13 I'm going to stay and be awesome. And we see her, you know, she changes how she dresses, she's being more serious, she's spending less time grooming and more time studying, and changing what she watches on television. Like she's making all of these adjustments to a new goal, which is this law degree. And I love both of those sections. That just the tenacity and the focus for me is all about what this movie is about. Double montage. That's a win. Yeah. Normally you want to break a rule, the rules and be like I got yeah, but you know this is a situation where it's like, yeah, you got it, you got You can't talk about one montage without talking about the other one. Yes, good scene, good scenes, Amber, is what I would say, angela same question.

44:03 But first, why are we talking about your scene? I think it was a bit of a pivotal moment. But uh, with this, and actually. We touched on it earlier and Amber had made an excellent comment that we were on the same page as to why I pick this It's a scene where Elle represents Paulette to her crappy ex husband just to get her dog back after Plot tells her, how, you know how she you know, she didn't get to throw on a birthday party and all that's all. She know she wanted. So I think it not only helps you know, further that friendship in her seeing the good that she can do.

44:48 With that because you know that she wants to. I mean she she's a very good hearted person and she can help. She will help, and also building up their confidence and her you know, practicing those terms and kind of put no shoes on even though you know, I mean, the guy's an idiot. What is he what is he going to know and what he's going to do, And given her, you know, that confidence is like I'm here to. Take the dog, dumb ass. You know, after she's just being very meek and quiet and God knows, you know, yes how just emotionally like small and everything that he has you know made her and her still having you know, that that trauma from that experience. She's like I'm not here for you. She's like, I want my dog, and just how happy you know she is to have them in of course. You know. Then later when they're sitting together in her you know, Salon Bruiser, El's little chihuahua is sitting next.

45:33 To her, you know, her bulldog, and you know, it. Just gives Elle that that confidence and that taste of that good that she can do that. And this isn't just a law degree. This is a very good stepping stone for her to and enhance her good qualities and becoming a skill set with people, you know, absolutely and knowing how she can you know, you know, do that. So I really enjoyed that that scene. All right, another great scene, and I do I like. I like both, but I like both the scenes that you guys you mentioned, Like I said, I love the scene with David. But I also I feel like it's been I've gone a little long without complaining about the movie.

46:16 So I'm I want to go with a scene I'm going to file on under did it piss Amber Lewis off? I don't know, it didn't. Amber Amber says, nothing pissed off, But I feel like it. It definitely is. It should have because it it bothered the ship out of me. Because it's one of the dumbest scenes ever filmed in cinematic history. Hm hmm. I'm talking about the ben and snap scene. This is just it's just a dumb scene. It's just yeah, like, we're there, we're the chat. You said, you said a gift of it. I'm like, what the hell is I don't what's that mean? And then once I got to it, that scene, that scene. Okay, look, I know you guys aren't going to concede the point, but can you at least meet me even remotely halfway and say this scene was kind of dumb.

47:04 I think, yeah, it was a dumb I say, ridiculous. But sometimes you just need to be fun and silly. And it's for her to get in attention from you know, a dude, which is I mean, let's put which is of most of their their energy anyway. But I think being making fun of that of what will get your guys' attention or you know, hotch killing her boyfriend. I'm I'm going to speak for all mankind right now and tell you all. I mean, I've never done the bend and snap, the. Bend and snap throw it out of the playbook, no one.

47:47 I mean, it's one thing like if you want to drop a pin or you want to drop something. Oh, I dropped it the bend. Okay, Okay, you might get our y, that's an attention. The snap part is just it's just stupid. It's absolutely stupid. But the point is that you're wasting our time with this. But when you could be talking about the courtroom scene, which was one hundred percent modeled off of my cousin Vinnie. Yea, and you love that movie, like. I love my cousin Vinnie. But I'm also I'm also just the courtroom scene kind of it pissed me off a little bit too. But I'm I'm just I'm not gonna get into it. We'll be here all night, but I'm just saying is dumb. And you know, I get it.

48:34 You could have if it could have just been for Paultte to get the Amazon delivery driver guy. But the fact that every stranger in this place is like, oh, let me try, and it becomes like this, goofy stupid. I don't care how many stupid freakin' Anchorman, don't. How many watched men Yeah, hold on each other decades and. Blonde is a comedy, yes, but it's not a comedy like Anchorman. It's not satire it's not like like slapstick satire. I you can't put legally blonde in the same category with airplane, you know.

49:15 I'm just saying this was doing it as an example. I have watched men do plenty of dumb ass things and comedy like what years. Jesus, we don't have our lives, but it's been like making fun women do to get you know, to like she you know, she busts out these statistics with it, so I, I don't know, I kind of took I didn't take it seriously. I took it as just the ridiculous links that someone will go to the man's attention later and it said, yeah, she breaks the guy's nose because she can't call l like hysterical and like my girlfriend want sparked on a guy during the Blair Witch Project and they ended up dating for three months.

50:03 Yeah it's gonna be okay. I care about you too, so just tell you don't don't do the bend and snap because you're not gonna get a guy. Ever. This the fact that they think like this director thought that was like. It is a whole like musical number in the Broadway show. It has to be the whole thing if if I'm forced to take a date to that. When the Ben and Snap line comes up, I'm like and get us something drink. I'm hit, I'm hitting the lobby. I'm out. Like the scene so. Well, you're getting left in the car, You're not getting no how do you do?

50:46 And whatever? For that may be, I'll tell you something. Let me. Let me tell you something, Angela when I when I don't get that what I don't get the how do you do? Man? That is it? That is a kick in the gym. You're gonna be able tot Withe's it's rough. Let's let's run the numbers. This was released on July thirteenth. Look at that. It is officially the twenty fifth anniversary, So happy anniversary to l two thousand and one. Yeah, it's run time of ninety six minutes. That is a lean movie, not not. There's nothing left on the bone here.

51:26 On a budget of eighteen million dollars, it made twenty million dollars its opening weekend, and that's before finishing its theatrical run of one hundred and forty two million, thus making it a major hit for MGM, who was struggling pretty financially at the Time six point five out of ten. Recent Universal card with you Know Suck. It six point five out of ten on IMDb, seventy five percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It's a three to eight out of five on Letterboxed and received an A minus. It's too low, Yeah, it's pretty high. Received an A minus on cinema Scores a plus to F grade scale.

52:14 Roger Eberts gave this movie three out of four stars, saying the film was quote impossible to dislike, to which I'd like to counter by saying, quote nothing is impossible, Roger Eberson. As for its accolades, it won Choice Summer Movie at the prestigious Teen Choice Awards, and Reese Witherspoon won three of the four awards she was nominated for at the MTV Movie Awards. Legally Blonde was nominated for two Golden Globes, but did not win either. You might say the only Golden Globes that Reese went home with were the two that she arrived with, which Angela started with the vagina stuff.

53:03 Okay, a completely different context. Oh boy, just because I named a body part. Okay, I was, I was curious about this. Let's let's wrap things up here. So someone watches legally Blond for the first time, like, well, like I did, uh, and they say, hey, I get it. This guy he created legally Blond. It's a massive success. But what is it? Anything underrated? He did, anything that flew under the radar that he wrote, that he directed. Maybe he was in that you would recommend amber. Do you have a recommendation an underrated at recommendation for Robert lukettch I do.

53:49 I actually have not seen any of his other work. However, he did direct two episodes of a TV show that I'm interested in checking out. It's called Schmigadoon. It's on Apple Plus and it was canceled after two seasons and then made into a Broadway musical, which just won the Tony Award for Best Broadway Musical. It's about a couple on a backpacking trip and they discover a magical town in which everyone acts like they're in a classic musical. That actually sounds good. That sounds that. Stars Keegan Michael Key, who I love, and Cecily Strong, who is hilarious. She's on SNL Okay all right, Angela, and so I'm interested in Okay, And.

54:45 You haven't seen any of his other films. No, he's done. He's like he did. I think I want to say, fourteen films is what his. Catalog is just never that's interesting. Thing. I only saw like six or seven things pop up. But whatever, Okay, well, Angela, what be your under Okay? Well what what is your underrated? Pick? I think we have what underrated is? But The Ugly Truth? That is one of my favorite comedies with the Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigel. Butler watch the Opera broke me Like. I don't Butler then.

55:28 Yeah, no you can't. Yeah you can't just with that. Oh honey, you gotta give him a chance. Angela, Angela, you and I are going to talk about three hundred later this year? Should we should we bring? Yes? Make make her watch his apps that just. Botter, make her watch his abs. Yes, I mean, but. I called it. I was like, Angela is going to say the Ugly Truth. From I probably put on but you know once every you know year or so. But it's one of those where. I it's just it's just so funny. And it's Yes, it's considered a romantic comedy, but I feel like it's a little bit of a side route to getting you know, to that without being so like me, you know, melodramatic, you achey, really freaking funny, and I think they.

56:21 Let me help you out amazing, let me help you out here, Amber, because that was my pick two thousand and nine is The Ugly Truth. So Katherine Heigel plays well, she plays you guys. She's she's basically playing one of like you guys. If like we if we created a character that it was like you guys, she's probably that. She's she's a successful, successful, uh television producer. Her show is is tanking. She's not doing good, and she's also again suspension of displief. She's having trouble meeting a guy because she's Catherine Heigel and she looks like Katherine Heigel. Meanwhile, Gerard Butler has a show, a very popular show called The Ugly Truth, and he really just tells it like it is in a misogynistic I would say, he's a little bit of a male show. He's a little misogynistic.

57:16 And she calls in one night Amber to basically just give him the business and you know, ball him out and just like you don't know what the hell you're talking about. And meanwhile, she shows up to work the next day and her producers were like, Hey, we've hired this guy and we're gonna do this new show and you and they're kind of forced to work together. So it is it's one of those you know, they definitely should not work, but you know, and they're gonna fight formulaic definitely, but it's a funn It's really funny. She you know, bosts his balls all throughout the whole thing, and him still trying to get under her skin with his comments and stuff, and she's just like.

57:58 He's cross amber. Here is where I'm gonna I'm gonna win you over, I think because you remember, same director as Legally Blonde, also same producers, same screenwriters. So if you. And the writers also did ten Things I Hate about You, which I looked up, they also which I you know, which I love. That I was one of. It was one of my favorite. I'm amenable to this, Yeah, and it would have probably done a lot better, but it had the unfortunate, uh business of going up against Harry Potter and the half Blood Prints, which absolutely, you know, Slaughtered in the Box was the.

58:39 Worst, was the worst adaptation of the book. That's all I'll say it was so angry. Okay, it's the best book, that's all all say. I'm saying it could be the best book, but it was the worst adaptation to film. They left out the one line that I had waited six movies to hear, so I was. Like, it was a lot. I remember leaving that favorite very pissed off about. Yeah, I was very upset with that whole thing. Yeah, Legally Blonde. Legally Blonde right now is streaming pretty much everywhere. I watched on Prime they got this what is it? Is it a prequel like the TV show? Is that what they're they're doing. You guys are looking at.

59:21 Me, and I'm not sure. I didn't. I haven't watched Yeah, I haven't watched it. Her looking at it, so I'm not. Yeah, well she looks like when she's in college or maybe yeah, it doesn't look. Yeah, well okay, I watched it on Prime. But it's also apparently it's on Netflix, it's on HBO Max, it's on Hulu, it's it's on YouTube for free. By yourself a physical copy because it's that good. Uh obviously you Okay, Amber says, own it. Just watch it, Angela. It's obvious. You guys are I knew you guys are big fans. You guys were lobbying for this one. And I was like, yeah, well we'll do it. You know, I will say you did. You didn't make any comments, but I was. I was wondering if you were going to make some kind of a pro Warner comment, and I was gonna be like, this is like Nate Gate from Devil Worst Prada all over.

1:00:11 He don't don't bring up, don't bring up ugly business. We can talk about the ugly truth, but let's not do ugly business. I will say, it's the bottom line here. Did you enjoy it? Do you like it? Will you ever watch it again? Like? What's the deal? Yeah, enjoyed, enjoy her? Will you watch the second? What you said you would watch Devil Worst Product again? No, Well that's a great it's a great film. Can I just be honest and say, Devil Worst Product was a great film? Loved it, loved you liked much better than you liked this. I didn't really like this. I will never watch this again. I just I'm just being fair. I'm just being honest. Uh, there there will be no second time for me. But Reese Witherspoon is an incredible actress. She was fantast sick in the movie. But I do have a you know, since I can't recommend it, I do have some recommendations.

1:01:06 I'm gonna I'm gonna, Amber Lewis this real quick. I would recommend, sorry, I would recommend Fear for dramatic rees. If you want calculating, conniving, highly intelligent Reese, you gotta go with Alexander Paine's election. Amber says no to that. Uh Twilight, No, not that shitty one for sexy Reese and American Psycho for the perfect annoying Reese who gets dumped in spectacular fashion by Patrick Bateman in a dinner scene that far exceeds the dinner scene in this movie.

1:01:51 I'm sorry, I was kind of laughing. I was like, holy shit, she's getting dumped at dinner by her super rich, powerful boyfriend again. But in American Psycho it's way better. So and I Amber, I would I would ask you on the record to please never watch American Psycho. I would also. Watched it and don't do that. My eyeballs with Bleach. The same for you, Angela, you stay away from that. That's not for you. I've already seen it. I've actually seen it. I know a few times. I've seen it a few times. And one time my brother and I were watching it, uh Mom's house.

1:02:32 This was years ago, and we started cracking up because. She walked in on the scene, you know, the looking at his reflection and pointing it out, and we just start cracking up laughing. But yeah, is that one that I would go to watch? You get know, there is obviously one in particular, like watching I don't want to do first Ones when she was like fourteen, that's a really good movie. Do not listen? Listeners projects out there? Listeners It means War with my man Tom Hardy and Chris Pine. That was a movie that was listeners.

1:03:13 Listeners. Amber Lewis and Angela Norris, we now know that they have seen American Psycho. So it's never too early to start the letter writing campaign to get American Psycho for next season and Amber Angela America. It's the three A's American Psycho, Amber Angela. Yeah, let's work on, come on gain. I still remember some quotes from that, but I wouldn't be able to. Yeah, some of my all time favorite books. Bredion read the book. But it's like, yeah, twenty times worse the book. The book makes the movie look like a Disney film. You both stay away from that. Now, lesson zero. Yeah that was messed up.

1:03:56 Yeah. Oh, don't read that book either. Then. I mean, read it because it's awesome, but don't not YouTube. Please join us on social media. You can find us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, x. We love interacting with you, sharing opinions, taking your requests for future episodes, and debating great movies. Amber one of our our newest Patreon members. When I in the email, you know, I would send out the email and ask like, well, what how'd you find us? And what brought you to Patreon on this what do you like? I chuckled nervously when he responded that he really likes Amber Lewis in the way her and I disagree, It's like.

1:04:43 Well we did tonight. Yeah, yeah, Kyle, if you're if you're listening to the yeah, if you're listening to this one for legally Blonde, you definitely you're getting your money's work. So well, ladies, Uh, I'm glad I watched it. I'm glad. I you know there's movies just because you haven't seen just because you don't think you'll like a movie doesn't mean you shouldn't at least give it a shot, you know, And I wanted to give it a shot. I was, you know, I had an open mind. Thank you for for you know, saying, hey, this is it's an important movie. You don't have to like it it it's it's you know, celebrating this twenty fifth anniversary. It's pretty popular and we should talk about So I'm glad that. I'm glad that you guys, you guys fought for it.

1:05:30 And Bikini so you didn't get it. I got read. Yeah it is not time. Yeah, you know there are some great scenes. Got a couple of times in that Yeah. Yeah, yeah, not you know, I'm I'm not going to go back to it, but I'm glad. I'm glad I've seen it. Well you two, thank you as always, and uh, thank you. Enjoy enjoy your summer break. You know, I look forward to your return because, uh, we've got everything from Christopher Nolan to Harry Potter lined up and I know we cannot possibly do any of that stuff without the two of you, So looking forward to it and all of you out there listening to the show following us on social media and subscribing to the Patreon We absolutely thank you.

1:06:27 All right, so, you know, walked away fairly unscathed. I feel well, I. Like it. I looked, I looked at the at the notes, and my friend I was like, don't say that either, and then I'm scared out. Oh no, don't say that. That. No, I just don't say that. It's a lot a lot of my notes just are like highlighted, don't say that. So, yeah, made a stand, But I also was I feel like I've made made some smart decisions on on not saying some of the things I was I was gonna say, but but you know what, you guys were also like, hey, he doesn't like it, but maybe we can help him, you know. And you guys, you guys picked out great scenes to talk about. So yeah, you can't. We can't agree on everything. We can't love every we can't all collectively love every movie. So it's gonna happen sometimes.

1:07:25 But