Not many films leave you with a warm feeling inside, walking from the theater with a more positive attitude than when you came in. But Andy Tennant's latest film, "Sweet Home Alabama" does just that - the night air becomes sweeter, the ride home smoother, and every smile broader and more satisfied.
A feisty, chic, blonde-haired beauty, Reese Witherspoon proves once again that she is more than delightful dimples.
Torn between all she has ever wanted and the past she never knew she missed, is Melanie "Mel" Carmichael (Witherspoon). While the large, emerald-cut, Tiffany & Co., platinum diamond ring on her finger claims that she is betrothed to the preppy, Democrat Andrew Hennings (Patrick Dempsey), son of the prestigious mayor (Candice Bergen) of New York City, she is also the self-proclaimed "naughty Yankee b?Ae_ wife" of Southern stud Jake (Josh Lucas). What a tragedy ?Ae_ two gorgeous men falling at her feet!
As the film begins, we get a peek into Mel's desirable life as a budding NYC fashion designer whose wealthy, romantic boyfriend showers her with red and yellow roses and scripted lines such as, "There's a rose for every moment I thought of you last night." Audiences will be struck dumb by Henning's breathtaking deep blue eyes and carefree nature.
The film then shifts directly into Mel's trip back to Greenville, AL., to confront her "dumb, stubborn hick" of a husband - pen and divorce papers in hand. Jake whole-heartedly refuses her demands for divorce, and the lengths both he and Mel pursue to get their way are outrageous.
One lesson moviegoers can learn from this film is never underestimate the power of a spare key or a joint checking account when in the middle of what the local sheriff considers a domestic dispute.
The audience is taken through a series of reunions, where adorable characters like Bobby Ray (Ethan Embry) learn that their troublemaking Southern belle has become a vain princess who struts her Calvin Klein perfume and off-the-shoulder black outfits in a way that would make Audrey Hepburn drool.
Despite her less than glamorous actions and offensive remarks made in a drunken stupor, after which she is carried home to her parents' double-wide trailer by Jake, Mel manages to redeem herself. Shrieking with surprise and laughter, the audience is wholly absorbed in the matrimonial decision that Mel must make.
The decision is worsened by Mel's web of deceit. While in New York, Mel hid all information about her previous marriage and homespun identity from the public eye. Even her stately last name is a lie. This problem effectively comes to heads when Jake and Henning both meet up at the Pigeon Creek Catfish Festival.
A spastic chair, a kitty with a fried tail, homosexual innuendo, character's backstories, and constant references to Southern culture and North versus South differences serve as the substance of humor within the film. For example, citizens of Greenville pride themselves on reenacting battles of the Civil War, which provides a source of mayhem when explosives are misfired.
The film reflects a somewhat serious tone due to the poor relationship that has evolved between Mel and her parents since her leave from Alabama. As Mel begins to realize potential feelings for Jake, she ponders, "How come it has to be so complicated?"
Both the comic and dramatic elements of "Sweet Home Alabama" blend together in this romantic tale of rekindling old flames as Tennant emphasizes both the importance of being connected to one's roots as well as following one's hopes and dreams.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
