Last year Reese Witherspoon surprised us -- scratch that, shocked us -- with her breakout role in Legally Blonde. Her performance elevated what would have been another "nothing" Hollywood film into one of the best comedies of the year. As a result, Witherspoon has become Hollywood’s new starlet of lighthearted, romantic comedies -- taking the crown, I suspect, from a no-longer-so-young Meg Ryan.

Her performance in Sweet Home Alabama is similar to Legally Blonde -- relying on her cute demeanor plus that spunk and energy she brings to a role -- but is a wee bit darker this time around. She plays Melanie Carmichael, an up-and-coming fashion designer engaged to the son of New York’s mayor. She has everything she wants: a career, fame, money, and a soon-to-be husband that genuinely loves her. The only problem is that she lied about her past to get there.

Melanie embellished her childhood, leading people to believe she was born to a wealthy family involved in the cotton business. The truth is, she comes from a tiny town in Alabama and her parents live in a home that has not been renovated since she was born. The only thing she finds more embarrassing than her small-town background and her humble family is her reckless past, including a marriage where the divorce has never been finalized.

There’s nothing surprising about Sweet Home Alabama. The moment Melanie arrives home and sets eyes on Jake (Josh Lucas), her estranged husband of seven years, you know what the outcome will be. It’s the old Hollywood formula where boy meets girl, boy loses girl, and, well, you know the rest. And Witherspoon’s performance isn’t all that surprising either. Had Legally Blonde never been made, this would probably have been her breakout film (to a lesser degree, mind you, since it’s not nearly as much fun as Legally Blonde was). But the truth is, Sweet Home Alabama wouldn’t have been made had Legally Blonde not been so successful. This film owes its life to that one and it’s simply here to mimic its success.

In the end, Sweet Home Alabama is a rehash of countless movies we’ve seen before with a leading lady rekindling the type of onscreen magic we’ve seen before. And that’s not such a bad thing. The plot is tired and worn but people still like to see this type of lighthearted film. And Witherspoon is well deserving of her new status in Hollywood because she’s a joy to watch onscreen. A few years ago when she was part of instantly forgettable movies like Fear and Cruel Intentions, I doubt that anyone would have thought that she could carry an entire movie (although, in hindsight, Pleasantville did give more than a few hints of her potential). But she can; in fact, she’s the reason to see this film and exactly why it gets a recommendation and a *** rating.

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