Reese Witherspoon has built a strong career for herself and even though she’s played many memorable roles—some of which have even earned her Academy Awards—Elle Woods from Legally Blonde remains one of her most beloved performances. Reese Witherspoon always brings a lot to her performances, but Legally Blonde is the perfect use of her talents and tells a wonderful story about how it’s not fair to judge a book by its cover.
Legally Blonde went on to spawn a sequel, a spin-off film, and even a Broadway musical and it remains an evergreen comedy that still holds up today. With a Legally Blonde 3 set to hit in May of this year, it’s very exciting to have Witherspoon back in this signature role after 17 years. In order to tide over fans until the next installment comes out, there are still movies that cover similar subject matter or tap into a comparable energy.
15 Miss Congeniality Is Sandra Bullock At Her Best & Silliest
Sandra Bullock has been bringing her trademark energy to performances for decades now, but the actress has had a recent resurgence where she’s hit a whole new level of popularity. Miss Congeniality is still some of Bullock’s best work and this film tells a fun story where an FBI agent has to go undercover as a beauty pageant contestant, even though she doesn’t fit the bill. It conjures a similar fish out of water vibe that Legally Blonde does.
14 Clueless Is An Eternal ‘90s Classic
Clueless is still seen as one of the defining films of the 1990s and Alicia Silverstone’s performance as Cher is one for the ages. Cher is a selfish, spoiled teenager who learns empathy the hard way as her heart pulls her out of her comfort zone and she’s forced to confront social status clash. The film also features one of Paul Rudd’s first major roles. It’s a satisfying, smart coming of age story, much in the same style as Legally Blonde.
13 The Princess Diaries Is A Stunning Transformation Story
Anne Hathaway has gone on to have an incredible career trajectory that is still very much on the rise. The Princess Diaries is Hathaway’s first big role and it tells the story of a normal teenager who learns that she’s a part of a royal family and the heir to a privileged life. Hathaway’s transformation is a lot of fun, there’s a nice aspirational story here, and it touches on the idea of inner beauty and worth, like Legally Blonde.
12 Easy A Is Smart, Mature, And Grade-A Emma Stone
It can be easy to write off teen sex comedies, but Easy A is so much more than that. It’s not just a self-aware update to The Scarlet Letter, but it’s also a loving tribute to the John Hughes films of another era. There’s a very strong message here about labels and the dangers of rumors, but it also has a remarkable performance from Emma Stone that helped put her on a lot of people’s radars.
11 Romy And Michele's High School Reunion Is A Touching Story Of Friendship
Lisa Kudrow may best be remembered for her work on Friends, but Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is a strong contender for her biggest theatrical contribution. Both Kudrow and Mira Sorvino play instantly likable characters that are so fun to be around. The film tells a touching story about redemption and acceptance while it tests these two long-time friends and throws them on a wild adventure.
10 Uptown Girls Is A Touching Story Of Empowerment And Independence
Some of the best films involve characters who have unlikely responsibilities thrust upon them and learn that they have a natural flair for something that they never would have expected. Legally Blonde explores this, but so does the emotional comedy, Uptown Girls. Brittany Murphy plays a privileged daughter of a rock legend who has to not only work for the first time in her life when her riches are stolen away from her, but she has to look after a young child (Dakota Fanning) in a nannying gig. Murphy and Fanning’s chemistry is wonderful and the film is surprisingly moving.
9 The House Bunny Shows That Maturity Comes In Many Forms
Anna Faris is always fantastic, but The House Bunny is kind of her signature role and it covers remarkably similar ground to Legally Blonde. Faris plays a Playboy Bunny who gets kicked out of the Playboy mansion and has to find for herself in the real world. She joins a sorority of geeky introverts and helps them break out of their shells while she also gains a sense of purpose in the process.
8 The Devil Wears Prada Is A Cutthroat Look At Fashion
The Devil Wears Prada doesn’t feature any kind of supernatural twists or leaps of logic, but instead it just applies a slightly exaggerated tone to the demanding world of the fashion industry. Anne Hathaway plays off of Meryl Streep and the two are both magnetic here as they help elevate this material to something special. It covers the same areas of status and reputation that Legally Blonde does, albeit in a very different way.
7 Sweet Home Alabama Is A Lovely Fish Out Of Water Story
Reese Witherspoon has tackled some Oscar-worthy roles and built up a growing reputation in powerful television roles, but her career is full of gems. Sweet Home Alabama is a gentle romantic comedy about returning to one’s roots and taps into a fun country versus city aesthetic. Witherspoon’s energy carries a lot of this film and she turns what could have been a disposable rom-com into a moving movie that people are still talking about.
6 Never Been Kissed Is A Sweet Tale Of Delayed Gratification
Fish out of water stories are really effective when they’re properly thought out and Never Been Kissed is one of the better examples of how to do it right. Drew Barrymore plays a journalist that goes undercover as a high school student, but in the process genuinely learns a lot about herself and grows as a person. It’s a beautiful story and features some of Barrymore’s best work, too.
