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New York's mayor (Candice Bergen, right) gets a surprise when her son Andrew (Patrick Dempsey) announces his engagement to Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon).
Radiant Reese Move over Ms. Ryan, there's going to be a new Meg in town for quite a while and her name is Reese Witherspoon, America's new sweetheart. She's the only female movie star today who can make women go "ooh" at the mention of a new film, in that manner usually reserved for hunks on celluloid. (Audrey Tatou's another doll, but she doesn't speak our language.)
rules again
By Nadine Kam
nkam@starbulletin.comMuch to the detriment of her marriage -- poor Ryan Philippe can't make a memorable film -- "Sweet Home Alabama" looks like another hit for Witherspoon.
This time around, she's steel magnolia Melanie Carmichael who's made it from the plantation to the top of the Big Apple, a trajectory shared by Witherspoon in real life, who's from Nashville, Tenn.
As a designer, Melanie's just beginning to draw praise from the fashion press. She's dating Andrew, the son of the city's mayor Kate, played with delicious bitchiness by Candice Bergen and managing to create a persona larger than Murphy Brown.
Kate is left aghast by her son's decision. She's concerned that he doesn't really know Melanie after only eight months with her son, and worse, she's not a party asset. Kate was imagining someone more like Andrew's ex -- a lawyer who hails from society, a political family and, most importantly, from California. "Think of all those electoral votes!" she tells him.
Andrew (played by Patrick Dempsey, who's looking more distinguished with age) is being groomed for the presidency, but he's not played as a slime-coated politician. He's not only civic-minded, but thoughtful, romantic and kind. At the same time, he's no pushover. He's the perfect man.
When he proposes suddenly and lavishly in an homage to "Breakfast at Tiffany's," Melanie is stunned, and pushed into action. She has some unfinished business to attend to back home in Alabama, in the form of a hick husband no one in New York knows about, who's been unwilling for seven years to grant her a divorce.
This basic love triangle is played out with warmth and humor, and never a dull moment in the hands of director Andy Tennant, whose past work includes the equally romantic Drew Barrymore Cinderella tale "Ever After" and "Anna and the King."
Melanie drives back to Alabama, passing the ritzy mansions of Greenville -- where she claims to have been raised in Southern society -- and continuing on to Pigeon Creek, land of ramshackle sheds, rusty trucks and a cemetery devoted to 'coon dogs. Having grown up with big dreams, she hates the small-town mindset and can't contain her sentiments when running into former friends.
WITHERSPOON, as usual, is radiant in the role, and comes across as so earnest, that even when she's at her boorish best, a preview audience couldn't help but identify with her. The men in her life are equally charming -- how does anyone choose between Mr. Wonderful and Mr. Right anyway?
She finds Jake (Josh Lucas, looking and sounding like an updated version of Matthew McConaughey) in the same old house they shared. He tries to lock her out, but only she ever knew where the extra house key was hidden. When he still refuses to sign the divorce papers, she moves back in, withdrawing all his money from their still-joint checking account and proceeds to reappoint his humble abode in Laura Ashley-meets-New York penthouse style, while wondering where all that money came from.
She suspects the worse, considering their shared childhood pranks, including an episode in which she blew up a bank.
Meanwhile, back in New York, Kate deploys her political minions to find the dirt on Melanie before the press does. When the Northerners do descend, she tries to steer them away from the homestead and her parents Earl (Fred Ward) and Pearl (Mary Kay Place).
All the while, Melanie and Jake -- who has a secret and ambitions of his own -- keep bickering over past grievances and misunderstandings while he laments, "Nobody meets their soulmate when they're 10 years old anyway."
Or do they?
It's Earl, who spends his time participating in Civil War re-enactments, who informs her that history -- both public and personal -- can't be ignored.
And they play that Lynyrd Skynyrd song of the title, not once, but twice -- neither time tacky. I was only disappointed to find that cool voice belonged to Jewel.
Playing at Consolidated Kahala, Kapolei, Koko Marina, Ko'olau, Mililani, Pearlridge, Waikiki and Ward; Signature Dole Cannery, Pearl Highlands and Windward; Wallace Keolu and Laie "Sweet Home Alabama"
Rated PG-13
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