It really was a Sweet Home, Alabama

Starring: Josh Lucas (jake), reese Witherspoon (Melanie), Patrick Dempsey ( Drew)

Director: Andrew Tennant

Release: 2002

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Hi and welcome to another edition of Scene it. We are heading back to the Noughties with this one and boy what a little gem this one is.

The story follows Melanie Carmichael, a new York fashion designer, who finds herself getting engaged to one of the city's most eligible bachelors Drew. However, little does she tell him, that she's already married to her backwater, deep south childhood sweetheart, who refuses to divorce her.

Now if you're a schlocky like me, you'll find this an aww moment, but if you're a bit more on the feminist side, I guess this translates to a bit more of a chauvinistic comment, as typically you need permission to kiss someone even if you're married to them..but let's not make this political.

The scene ends in them starting to kiss and Melanie opens her eye to see a bolt hit them breaking them apart...I guess it really does strike twice...

We move to a scene of her waking up from the dream and the new Yorkers mocking her accent...she seems to be suppressing her roots. We are treated to a very pro-girl soundtrack, a real sense of female empowerment. Melanie gets home to her apartment where the corridor is covered in rose petals and the room adorned with flowers. A voice message from Drew, is declaring his love for her and says he will be at her runwaY show to support her.

We are introduced to her fabulously flamboyant mentor Frederick Montana (Nathan Lee***), who rocks a scarf in a way I wish I could, despite working as supposed competition. a comment about being a debutante from the plantation into a magnolia is definitely an aged comment even if its coming from an African American, but for me risque comedy will always be that...a bit spicy!

There is loads of press reporting on the event, furthered by her boyfriend Drew's appearance. Sent to the runway a tongue in cheek comment is made that the models arent allowed to smile. It cuts to the post celebration, where drew has to leave for a meeting and Melanie is left to attend a trip to an undisclosed location that turns out to be where Drew is. He surprises her with a room filled with jewellery...yes she's about to get engaged! The room is covered in the little blue boxes from Tiffany's...

Down on one knee he asks her the question..shes met with shock as they've only been dating 8 months...Having picked a gorgeous ring, news has already hit the press and Drew's mother find out via the press that he's now engaged. Drew is so excited he wants to tell everyone, but Melanie becomes secretive and makes excuses as to why they cant tell everyone, she asks to go back home to tell her parents who she hasnt seen in 7 years. Jokes about being a Yankees fan and him being a Democrat card is played, to which he agrees...She doesn't deserve this guy.

Arriving at the same event as his mother Kate (Candice Bergen) who happens to be the mayor, Drew and Melanie make their way up the carpet of the Lincoln Centre. Kate discovers the sharp object on an important finger and yells out they're engaged out of shock. The paparazzi explode with excitement taking loads of somewhat unflattering pictures making the front paper.

This changes the dynamic somewhat and Melanie now has to head back home pronto for some damage control hoping her family haven't seen the papers....or more specifically that Jake hasn't. Melanie chooses to drive instead of fly. There gorgeous panning shots of the juxtaposition of colonial style buildings reminiscent of the old south plantations, and shoddier stores in the town, before heading to the poorer end on Pigeon Creek and parking up at an ageing property with a gorgeous bloodhound. Turns out this is Jake's house...Juicy!

Having removed the ring, Melanie gets out the car. Somewhat mucky by delightful Jake gives a warm, southerly hospitable welcome, before being met with the rather rude New York attitude, demanding a divorce. Seems like Melanie has kept a headstrong attitude her whole life

..however secret from her new beau.

Waiting for Jake to get over the initial shock not having seen her in seven years, she tells him to speak, getting the adorable hound to bark, agitating Jake and continuing to criticize how he looks and talks. Personally having a different accent to where I live now, I feel for the guy, especially when there's nothing wrong with being friendly or not being shallow...a trait she seems to have picked up in the big city. We find out she has an expensive lawyer who has received the papers back several times, so Jake clearly has no intention of divorcing her, but does make an offhanded comment about missing her before but with the car part in his hand, from that distance wouldn't miss her again.

After both telling the hound to shut up, turns out the dog Barrett isnt the one they had when they were together, she thought his name was Bear..I'm beginning to really dislike Melanie... Thoroughly on Jake's side at the point, she continues name calling him to sign the papers...like that tactic has ever worked for anyone? Before he returns the favour and knocks a few back at her leading to a somewhat comedic fight with the blinds to make his point..which obviously lessens each time it rolls back up. Melanie breaks into the house with the spare key. Jake to me is going to be her spirit guide that will help her on a path of self discovery as the film continues, else what kind of rom-com would this be?

Moving back to the big city, Kate opens the magazine W, who's done an expose on Melanie, with the lies continuing to stack up, she's said shes from a wealthy Alabama family (lie), and her surname is a lie turns out Kate has had a investigator look into her past stretching to elements like her high school. Clearly Kate is unhappy with the engagement, and like some mother in laws out there, feels this engagement is a personal attack on her, as his previous girlfriend would have been great for political votes. Kate calls Andrew, to ask when the date is, and ask for the number of the in laws. She informs them him she's gone up 2 points in the polls, but wants to remind him that happy couples dont sell.

We cut back to Melanie and Jake, who called the sheriff after Melanie's last antic, turns out Melanie had a nickname Felony Melonie. The new sheriff Wade (Courtney Gains), who initally takes Jake's side, before finding out they're still married, was convinced this was nothing more than a domestic dispute. An interesting dynamic was the opportunity to highlight domestic violence as a serious issue in the south m, to which Melonie luckily didnt falsely accuse him. Before leaving Jake kept asking Wade to arrest her, giving events of times she'd done something. Jake hits gold and tells Wade Melony was responsible for tipping his mother's tractor into the pond, booked and charged.

Having tried to avoid contacting her parents, Melanie's one phone call cuts to her parents house, (Mary Kay Place) Pearl Smooter and Earl (Fred Ward). Earl picks her up from the station unsurprised, which indicates this wasnt an uncommon occurrence. He mentions that he paid for the wedding, which Melanie scoffed at. Looks like she feels shes traded up with Andrew. Although hearing how her reception went and jake having been completely wasted and thrown up on her dress, I can understand some of the animosity. Earl seems keen on Jake and says hes change, but Melanie shuts him down before he can continue. She explains she's met someone new and is finally happy. Once at her parents the cracks in the relationship start to unfold where we find the Melanie's parents were supposed to visit her in New York but instead purchased a new recliner and stayed home. Exposition about her mother wanting her to have a better life included putting her in beauty pageants and now she was successful and happy, before pulling out the ring and showing them exactly how successful.

Back in New York, Kate seems to be trying to push back the wedding and hinting that she knew there was something wrong with Melanie's story and almost blows her life when she finds out they are due to get married in Christmas in Ireland. Andrew isnt concerned in her issues and walks out...what a stand up guy...Poor Schmuck.

Back in Alabama, Melanie finds out that divorce takes 18 months which she doesn't have, whilst getting heckled on the street. Turns out it's a very good friend of her Bobby Ray (Ethan Embry). After a brief conversation she makes her way to the bank and runs into another acquaintance who informs her she still has a joint account with Jake, she asks if she wants to make an withdrawal. With a malicious smile she says yes. Jake gets back to his home to find Melanie has purchased and removed his stuff. She withdrew all his savings. After a back and forth of words, Jake still doesn't sign the papers and heads to the bar, forcing Melanie to chase him.

Once at the bar her Snarky humour continues, and whilst everyone is so polite she writes everyone off. After getting very drunk, where she outs Bobby Ray. Jake confronts Melanie and he confronts her behaviour saying she isn't better than any of them, when thinks she is, before throwing up in his truck; how the mighty have fallen.

Disheveled the next morning to wakes up to the papers signed. Her father is getting ready for his reenactment, which she scoffs at: although her mom is supportive and kisses him on the cheek before he heads out the door.

She heads back to see Jake one more time, saying she put the money back in the account. She apologises for the way she's behaved although it's hard to believe she's being sincere. She heads out to find Bobby Ray so she can apologise for what she said last night. After a near miss of cannon fire, Melanie and Bobby Ray have a heart to heart. It's unclear if Bobby has forgiven her.

She's caught coming out of Bobby's house by the New York post and has to keep the charade up and forced to give a house tour in order to keep the charade going. She has to hide in a closet to avoid being spotted before running back into Bobby Ray who helps keep the charade going. Unlike Melanie, Bobby keeps her secret and helps give the tour. You just lady up with a real liking to the boy who is so passionate about the history of the plantation.

Melanie heads to the fair, and finds out Jake was trying to save enough money to win her materialistic hand back and is why he kept sending the papers back. Melanie takes a trip to the Coonhound cemetery to have a heartfelt exposition with her deceased Bear who used to wait for her...it's one thing to abandon her husband, but a faithful dog...unforgivable. Melanie let's Jake know that she's conflicted between her life in Alabama and New York as she now feels both fits. We find out that they suffered a miscarriage, and Melanie felt ashamed by it, because she felt relieved and wanted a different life. Somehow she lands up kissing Jake before being pushed away by Jake. She leaves the next morning and has a reverse psychology argument with her mother. She defends Jake whilst her mother keeps ragging on Jake saying she deserves better and to not mess things up with Andrew.

Melanie heads to the battlefield to find her father and is greeted by a friendly army of men who point her in the right direction. Next we're greeted with the awkward scene between Jake and Drew outside Bobby Ray's house, where her surname is mixed up. Bobby answers the door, and panics when he sees Jake. Jake offers to take Drew to see Early. We cut to Melanie smiling at her father and is surprised by Andrew, Jake tells Drew they're in love with 2 different people, Drew still thinks Jake is her cousin, she comes out with the truth that he's her ex husband before her father tries to greet Drew with a shaken hand. Drew refuses to shake it and says he's leaving. Drew turns up at Melanie's parents house. He says he doesn't care about her past and still wants to marry her so long as she still has a place for him in her future. Melanie asks Drew if they can host the wedding in Alabama.

Kate is mortified by the truth once Drew is back in New York and says she doesn't care that she's poor but that she lied. She does damage control and tries to keep up the rose that they will have a plaza hotel wedding for the press, whilst actually getting married in Alabama. Whilst picking up her friends from.the airport, she sees an ad for deep sea glass and is shocked to find out that Jake owns the place.

A lawyer who the town mistakes as a reporter is looking for Melanie gets the runaround by the town. Drew's mother arrives in town and meets Melanie's parents. We see the place getting ready for the wedding and the lawyer is still looking for Melanie but is turned away by the security. Jake doesn't plan on attending the wedding and starts to pack his bags.

Melanie seems sad about the wedding and we hear about the marriage between her mother and father. Her mother says that drew can give her the life they never could. Melanie heads down the aisle to be confronted by the lawyer saying she never signed the papers so was still married to Jake. She needs a pen and seems unable to sign the paper. She leaves Drew at the altar after making a selfish statement pushing her insecurities and reasons for not marrying him onto him. She claims she gave her whole heart away, but does not explain why she then left him for 7 years and agreed to then marry Drew. Drew resigns himself too easily considering she's just jilted him as his mother points out and bows put gracefully. I'm completely in agreement with his mothers perspective of her, and is then assaulted after confronting her. Although I have to admit I love the Earl's reaction saying the South has risen up again. The rain starts and she goes off to find Jake who happens to be out in the storm collecting more lightning glass. They have a kiss in the rain before being escorted back by sheriff wade to her reception.

A good point is seeing the connection between Melanie's mentor Frederick and Bobby so hopefully they got their happy ever after. The film ends in the dance they should have had at the fair to Sweet Home Alabama and shows the cat that she had taped explosives to.

I would rate this film with a ★★★★☆

As always... Ciao for now

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