Rating (1 to 10) : 4
Summary: Melanie Carmichael, originally from Alabama, is a hip fashion designer in New York, engaged to the son of the mayor. But to get married, she needs a final divorce from her first husband, who still lives in Alabama.
Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon) is living the hip lifestyle in NYC, so far away from her humble background in Alabama. Unbeknownst to most, including her fiancée, she is still legally married to her first husband, Jake Perry (Josh Lucas) and she goes back home to convince Jake to sign the divorce papers. But Jake refuses to do so. Part of the comedy is her trying to persuade Jake to sign. But most of the humor is based on the cultural differences between the South and the cosmopolitan New York City. This part is emphasized more when Melanie’s fiancée, Andrew Hennings (Patrick Dempsey) and his mother, Mayor Kate Hennings (Candice Bergen), two New Yorkers, experience somewhat of a cultural shock in visiting Melanie’s hometown.
And there’s not much more than the “North vs South” / rural vs urban angle. Reese does her usual good job of being versatile in portraying her Southern white trash background but this role doesn’t stretch her talent as in her other movies like “Election”. The most memorable character is Candice Bergen’s character, Mayor Hennings, who is both protective of her son like a doting mother and scheming with her son’s political future like a shrewd political advisor.
This is a rental and not much more.