The title of this post seems weird..doesn’t it? Well, that is pretty much the gist of the movie “Sweet Home Alabama”(2002). It is the story of a girl, Melanie Smooter (Reese Witherspoon), from a small town in Alabama, who leaves her small world to become a hoity-toity New York City socialite. She tries her best to erase every memory of her past, and even changes her name to start a new life. She finds love, fame, and success in the city, but circumstances force her to take a trip down south, and life comes to a full circle.
Then begins a journey of redefining who she is, and what her roots are. Whatever you do, home is always home. How much ever you change, you can never estrange yourself from your home. Melanie changes a lot for the better, but still has strong ties with her home, and can blend into her own crowd easily even after a gap of 7 years! There are ups and downs, but she finally realizes her priorities, and her most heartfelt desires.
I thought it was a very warm movie, and I can bet that lot of people will be able to identify with Mel’s character to some extent. Reese Witherspoon is adorable as Melanie. Josh Lucas is sincere as Jake and so is Patrick Dempsey as Andrew. The supporting cast is also appropriate. I liked the way the director has successfully captured the southern culture, and even the accents are perfect.
In conclusion, the movie teaches a valuable lesson, (quote)“You can have both roots and wings”. You can fulfill your dreams while still being attached firmly to your roots. All in all, a very nice and enjoyable film.
