By Tanya Batson, Staff ReporterSWEET HOME Alabama starring Reese Witherspoon, and lesser known actor Josh Lucas has all the elements of your standard romance, but contains sufficient fresh wit for you to eat it up delightedly.
It is your quintessential (if not top of the line) chick flick. Sweet Home Alabama is the told and re-told tale of a lower-class hick (this time from Alabama) who goes to the big city (New York) and makes good, moving from rags (or rather blue jeans and plaid) to riches.
Melanie Smooter (the name says enough) was the kind of Alabama girl who constantly got in trouble while she was growing up in Hicksville, Alabama. A town with all the quirks, including the town's willingness to re-enact the civil war, every year. Having left all this behind she re-invents herself, becoming Melanie Carmichael, woman of the world. She is on the verge of having it all, the great career, and the dashing, rich, handsome man, Andrew Hennings (played by Patrick Dempsey).
Unfortunately, this railway to her dreams has a single bump. She needs to get a divorce from her first husband and first love. Of course, if you have watched any romantic comedy, or are a reader of romance novels, you know what will happen. It must be realised, however, that just because you know where you are going doesn't mean that you can't have fun getting there.
That is quite the case with Sweet Home Alabama. C. Jay Cox' screen adaptation of Douglas J. Eboch's story is filled with sufficient wit to keep you laughing and distracted from how cheesy the plot really is.
Additionally, Witherspoon gives a more than credible performance. Her portrayal of Melanie was filled with sufficient life that you end up quite liking the character. Additionally, there is a healthy dose of chemistry between herself and Lucas.
The real show stealer however was Candice Bergen. Bergen, who one will probably always think of as 'Murphy Brown', displayed all the sweetness of a cornered hell cat. From the start of the movie, she had her claws out, and evidently was not afraid to use them. Her character, and the ease with which she plays the two-faced politician, was the greatest element of the show. It is simply hilarious to watch Murphy Brown as the mayor of New York. Come to think of it, now that would have been an excellent movie.
It was also great to see Patrick Dempsey again, though that is mere prejudice on my part. His character really did not endear you to him, and only the memory that he was in Money Can't Buy Love, an ageless teen classic, made seeing him a special treat, as his character was quite boring. Nonetheless, he played the role well, and makes one want to look forward to any work with him in the future.
Over all, Sweet Home Alabama provides a nice way to waste time. It may tickle your romantic bone, but it certainly won't give you anything more. The laughs are there, but they certainly are not belly laughs. Additionally, it probably will not be the most memorable movie you will see this year, and you may find it annoying how glaringly stereotypical the characters are. Or, you may simply love it.
