October 29, 2021

“Ugh, Legally Blonde?! What a terrible movie!” said Mr. Shafren. “Of course you would like it.” Mr. Shafren was the teacher for my public speaking class sophomore year and the nicest old man. Every day we would talk after class, and in this conversation, we dove into our favorite movies. This was his response to my film of choice. “If you want to see a real movie, watch Dead Poets Society.” I came home from school that day, watched it on Netflix, and bawled my eyes out. I loved it so much that I even wrote a speech about it for his class. However, I was still bothered by how quickly he wrote off Legally Blonde. 

Sure, it wasn’t an Oscar nominated film, but that didn’t mean it was a bad movie. These two movies, both deeply ingrained in society, are underlyingly the same. Elle Woods and Mr. Keating are introduced as outcasts due to their optimistic dispositions. As we grow and move through the story, both characters work to break the stereotypes associated with their positions and prove that their unconventional practices lead to their ultimate success. Both films teach audience members to find the value in staying true to oneself despite the consequences one may face.

Despite these drastic similarities, Dead Poets Society is a critically acclaimed film and Legally Blonde is played during the midnight slot on Lifetime every few weeks. Why? Why does the appreciation of these films diverge so dramatically? Why did Mr. Shafren call Dead Poets Society a “real movie”? Does that mean Legally Blonde is a “fake movie”? 

Ultimately, the answers to these questions boil down to our mistreatment of chick flicks.

Dead Poets Society came out in a time where males dominated the film industry as women were unable to compete with their level of education. However, Legally Blonde is all with the intention to appeal to the teenage girl by promoting the pop culture and trends of their time periods. Every girl from the 90’s wanted Cher’s virtual closet from Clueless (myself included) after watching the film. Every girl started looking for tickets to Greece to go on an adventure like Sophie in Mamma Mia!. And who didn’t want to sip coffee and eat a danish outside of Tiffany’s like Holly Golightly after finishing Breakfast at Tiffany’s?

These movies create characters that embody fashion, beauty, charisma, and confidence, but beyond popular belief, their value doesn’t just end there. The women in these movies face adversity, learn how to overcome their struggles, and show their audiences that they can do the same. Cher can be pretty “clueless” at times and easily gets lost in her own world. However, by the end of the film, she has opened her eyes to the people around her and has become a better friend, daughter, and student. In Mamma Mia!, Sophie initially struggles with her perception of family, but comes to the realization that a family doesn’t have to be the conventional mother, father, and daughter, it’s just the people that love you most. Breakfast at Tiffany’s shows us that, despite Holly’s belief, there is no place where nothing bad can happen. However, the people we chose to surround ourselves with make our worlds all the brighter.

By taking a deeper look into the value of “chick flicks” and dropping the stereotypes that we associate with this movie genre, we can give more credit to the predominantly female writers, directors, and actresses who bring these characters and stories to life. The ideas that are present in these films are powerful and meaningful for not only teenage girls, but the general public. By expanding the exposure of chick flicks, others will be impacted by their messages and begin to treat them with the respect they deserve. It’s time to truly show the world how valuable Elle Woods, and all chick flicks, can be.