Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

A young woman who's reinvented herself as a New York socialite must return home to Alabama to obtain a divorce from her husband, after seven years of separation.

Director:

Andy Tennant

Writers:

Douglas J. Eboch (story), C. Jay Cox (screenplay)

Stars:

Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, Josh Lucas

3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Reese Witherspoon	...	Melanie Smooter
Josh Lucas	...	Jake Perry
Patrick Dempsey	...	Andrew Hennings
Candice Bergen	...	Mayor Kate Hennings
Mary Kay Place	...	Pearl Smooter
Fred Ward	...	Earl Smooter
Jean Smart	...	Stella Kay Perry
Ethan Embry	...	Bobby Ray
Melanie Lynskey	...	Lurlynn
Courtney Gains	...	Sheriff Wade
Mary Lynn Rajskub	...	Dorothea
Rhona Mitra	...	Tabatha Wadmore-Smith
Nathan Lee Graham	...	Frederick Montana
Sean Bridgers	...	Eldon
Fleet Cooper	...	Clinton

Storyline

Melanie Carmichael, an up and rising fashion designer in New York, has gotten almost everything she wished for since she was little. She has a great career and the JFK-like fiancée of New York City. But when he proposes to her, she doesn't forget about her family back down South. More importantly, her husband back there, who refuses to divorce her ever since she sent divorce papers seven years ago. To set matters straight, she decides to go to the south quick and make him sign the papers. When things don't turn out the way she planned them, she realizes that what she had before in the south was far more perfect than the life she had in New York City.

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | husband wife relationship | gay friend | new york city | alabama | 

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Taglines:

Fall... in love.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language/sexual references

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Melanie's Getting Married

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$38,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$35,648,740, 29 September 2002, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$127,223,418

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$53,399,006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Original Film, D&D Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the movie's filming at Starr's Mill in Fayette County, Georgia, the Starr's Mill High School marching band was asked not to practice outdoors due to the sound carrying all the way to the Mill.

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Goofs

When Melanie is walking to the fair, we see a fire truck with "Pigeon Creek Fire Department" on its door with the initials "K.F.D." clearly present on the front right corner of the truck.

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Quotes

Clinton: Well hell's bells, if it ain't Felony Melanie.

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Crazy Credits

During the end credits some photos are shown with the cast. In a sequence of them Melanie's parents are "scared" by a punk with a pierced tongue, Mel's co-worker from the beginning of the movie, who comments on her accent when she dreams.

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Connections

Featured in 2011 MTV Movie Awards (2011)

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Soundtracks

Dixie's Land
(uncredited)
Written by Daniel Decatur Emmett

User Reviews

Felony Melanie!!

Where do i start with this movie? Fantastic, had me hooked from the start, they were on to a winner as soon as they cast Dakota Fanning as 'young' Melanie. Now i'm a sucker for good 'chick Flicks' and this one tops my list, Reese shines as Melanie, the girl who realises that what she's been looking for was right there at home waiting for her. Josh Lucas makes a fabulous performance as Jake, her estranged high school Hubby who's never got her out of his mind. If you are in the mood for a good old fashioned romance with some great country thrown in then this is the one for you, i've lost count how many times i have seen this now and i'll never tire of it. Even if this isn't your kind of film i challenge you to watch it and not feel good, practically impossible.