Sweet Home Alabama [2002]

The film begins with a trip down memory lane when young Melanie and Jake shared their first kiss and pledged undying love amidst a lighting strike. This certainly established an expectation on the part of the audience that a second lightning strike was going to play a pivotal role in the film's climax. But that is an appetite that is never satisfied. During the scene where Andrew proposes to Melanie at Tiffany's there are promising signs for the film's prospects in the delighted faces of the people standing behind the counters of diamond rings. It is a lovely little moment that we are allowed to enjoy. But early on we also have the fashion show where Melanie becomes a star and despite the cinematic possibilities inherent in beautiful women wearing gorgeous dresses walking down a runway, the film races through the moment. Instead of showing us that Melanie is a star, the film opts for just telling us she is a star and moves along.

The screenplay by C. Jay Cox, based on Douglas J. Eboch's story, does this one pretty much by the numbers. Melanie goes home and shows disdain for everybody and everything until she learns the error of her ways and the lies upon which she has built her new life are all revealed. Melanie is really a good girl deep down in her heart, a fact confirmed in our minds by the fact that both Jake's coon dog and his mom (Jean Smart) disregard her histrionics in favor of sedate total acceptance. The subplot involving Andrew's maniacal mayor mom (Candice Bergen) is just another set of numbers to be played out. True, Andrew does not deserve his fate in this film, but he was pretty much doomed once his mother read the poll results and went ahead with his birth.

Ultimately the film comes down to the revelation of Jake's secret. The reason that he never got the divorce from Melanie is that he wanted to prove he was good enough for her. On the one hand, what he came up with was an excellent choice, especially given the premises of the film. But on the other hand Melanie's discovery of the Jake's secret, which could have been the most wonderful moment in the film, goes back to the telling rather than showing. Melanie is given a couple of big clues to help her alone (My better way of doing it? Remember that object in Jake's trailer? It should have been at this place instead).

Witherspoon is fine given what she has to work with the script, but Lucas is the one who really shines, which is certainly saying something given his co-star, who is definitely the blonde de jour in American cinema at the moment. Besides, Jean Smart plays the mother of his character and that is always going to be a good sign in most movies. Lucas ends up being the lynchpin of "Sweet Home Alabama," and I shudder to think how low this film could have sunk if he did not provide it with some grounding. The film does little with the once and future happy couple's group of friends, and Mary Kay Place and Fred Ward are wasted as Melanie's parents in their doublewide trailer home. In the end I get the feeling that as soon as the people who made "Sweet Home Alabama" signed Reese Witherspoon to star in the film they stopped working on the script and started counting their profits.


truly watchable   June 30, 2004
Ms. Dm Hughes
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

Well Miss Witherspoon triumphs again, in this story of a girl in love who has to confront her past. Reece witherspoon heads a relitavely unknown cast of young actors in a love story which tells of the story of a young fashion desicner due to be married bit with a secret which could scupper all her plans. Along side reece Wither spoon plays Candace Bergen the future mother in law from hell whose political aspiarations will allow nothing or no one to get in the way. This film was entertaining and very watchable a walk to the video shop or at this price a good investment. Whilst its not high art it will leave you feeling happy in a smaltzy kind of way.


Really cute   March 29, 2004
F. Quinn (UK)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

Sweet Home Alabama is about a rising fashion designer who has to choose between her high school sweetheart (who she married) and a really, really lovely guy who happens to be the next JFK figure. It is about many other things as well and isn't just a simple love story.

This is one of the best romantic comedies out there in my opinion and well worth a watch even if you aren't usually a fan of such films. With preformances by Reece Witherspoon there isn't much that you can dislike about Sweet Home Alabama. And for you girls - Josh Lucas does take his shirt off! So even if you don't like romantic comedies - Josh Lucas takes his shirt off and plays one of the most loveable blokes I have ever witnessed. Apart from that - it is a really good movie which brought a tear of happiness to my eyes at least.

It really is such a lovely movie and quite beautiful too. With such great acting talents that are truly convincing to you. I just cannot get this movie out of my head, it was so sweet. If you do like romantic comedies this is well worth a buy, if you're not so keen you should see it anyway and then you'd want to buy it. It's that good.


Reese Witherspoon at her best.   March 2, 2005
dragondrums (Ingleby Barwick, United Kingdom)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

This romantic comedy perfectly suits Reese Witherspoons style. In this film she plays Melanie Carmichael, an up and coming fashion designer who is about to marry Andrew, a politician and son of the New York mayor (Candice Bergen). What she hasn't told her future husband is that she hasn't actually divorced her previous spouse and she isn't really from a rich southern family. Her name isn't even Carmichael really, it's Smooter.
Cue the comedy as Mel returns to the small town in Alabama in order to get her ex to sign divorce papers. No longer part of the small community she left, the community that knew her as 'Felony Melanie', Mel finds herself somewhat out on a limb. To make matters worse, her ex husband Josh is still smarting at the way Melanie left him and he is not going to make a divorce easy. If that doesn't make the road to wedded bliss difficult enough, Mel's future mother-in-law is decidedly unhappy with her son's choice of bride and is determined to put a spoke in the wheel. This isn't just a lightweight comedy however; there are some very poignant moments, particularly when Mel has to evaluate the person she has become and face the fact she may not like that person.
The DVD has a few extras such as deleted scenes, alternative ending, audio commentary and a music video, and the quality of picture and sound are as good as you would expect from the format. This is an enjoyable, heart warming, funny film that is well worth a look.





chick flicks never fail!   September 3, 2003
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

after watching this film, i am a true Reese Witherspoon fan now. she's fantastic, beautiful and gives a great performance.
big deal if it's predictable, the film has a charm that will make you watch it over and over, and will have you melting at the sight of josh lucas and his smile.
a must for all girls, and anyone else who likes a simple, happy, energetic movie.