A singular attempt to tell an unsung story— winsome for its ambition, REGRETTABLE for its execution.
Regan Humphrey
Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon) has everything to look forward to in life—with a promising career in fashion and her catch of a boyfriend (Patrick Dempsey)—until her boyfriend proposes, and the perfection of her life is jeopardized. She can’t marry into a new life without (figuratively and literally) divorcing her past, one that involves her childhood-sweetheart-turned-husband (Josh Lucas) who refuses to sign divorce papers, a minor criminal record, and a deep southern twang.
REF SCORE: 47%
Soundtrack: 30%
Story: 100%
Writing: 40%
Diversity: 10%
Daring: 100%
Racism: PRESENT — 20%
Gender Bias: ADDRESSED — 50%
Homophobia: COMBATTED — 60%
SUMMARY
Tales of small town Southern pride are a rare find in the world of film. Even rarer are tales of small town Southern pride that do not bear the mark of slavery and the infused racism that has persisted since. Sweet Home Alabama (2002) is the former of these two examples.
ref score 