Sweet Home Alabama is by far the most disappointing, nonsensical, saccharine-sweet drivel that I have had the misfortune of seeing on the big screen.
I didn’t willingly watch this movie, (the trailers alone were enough to drive me away) but was dragged into it by a bunch of friends. Suffice it to say that this movie is a total waste of time, money, and celluloid.
The plot is its biggest drawback - rehash, anyone? Reese Witherspoon plays Melanie, a typical Alabama country girl, who falls in love at the age of 10, marries him when she grows up, has a fallout, then moves to New York to become a fashion designer. Wow, except totally not. Her transformation from smalltown girl to happening fashion designer and fiancé of the mayor’s son is not described very well, and therefore is quite unbelievable. The story is also quite cliché - nothing interesting or unique at all.
The cast...well, not upto par, in my opinion. Reese Witherspoon tries hard to save the movie, but no amount of acting can save a hopeless script. Her performance is grating and annoying at times, and sweet at others - more likely the former, actually. Josh Lucas, who did such a great job in A Beautiful Mind, is wasted in this movie.
The humour is slightly above average at best, the cinematography is nothing special, and the music is truly, truly annoying. My ears were just about sobbing when treated to cruel, cruel repetitions of the lovely song Sweet Home Alabama, which, by the way, was horribly incorporated into the movie.
My advice - don’t see it, don’t get it on DVD or video. Save your breath and watch something worthwhile. I’m not saying that bubblegum romances are bad - but this one in particular definitely is.