Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

A young woman who's reinvented herself as a New York City 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.

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

To friere er en for mange... spesielt når du allerede er gift med den ene...

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some language/sexual references

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Melanie announces her engagement, Earl asks Pearl to pull the bologna cake out of the freezer. The cake, a concoction of bologna, cream cheese, and horseradish, was served to a script writer by his fiancée, who was from Indiana.

---

Goofs

When Melanie's parents are arguing about the volume on the television while on the phone, Pearl says, "They could have heard it all the way at Joe and Lurlynn's house." Lurlynn is married to Clinton, not Joe.

---

Quotes

Melanie Carmichael: Bobby Ray, it's not like that.
Bobby Ray: No, I'll tell you what it's not like. It's not like Jake's the only one you run out on.

---

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.

---

Connections

Referenced in Love: One Long Day (2016)

---

Soundtracks

Now That I Know
Written by Eric Bazilian and Shannon McNally
Performed by Shannon McNally
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from EMI Film & TV Music

User Reviews

Home is where the heart is

I found Sweet Home Alabama to be a very sweet romantic comedy, Reese Witherspoon was just so adorable in this film. I wanted to see Sweet Home Alabama because I love Reese and remember hearing so much about it when it was released. So, of course, I figured now would be a good time to rent it and find out what this movie was about. Over all, I'd say it was a bit over rated(everyone I knew who saw this movie loved it), but still a watchable romantic comedy.

Sweet Home Alabama is about a girl, Melanie, she is about to marry the mayor of New York city's son. But she has a bit of a bumpy past in the south where her family and old friends are, she's still married to Jake, her high school sweetheart. Without trying to bring up her embarrassing past to her fiancée, she has to get things done and settled with everyone, including her husband. But she slowly discovers how much she missed her true home and how much of a wonderful guy that Jake is.

A bit predictable and silly, but over all I would recommend Sweet Home Alabama for a lite comedy that most could enjoy. Like I said, it's not that big of a deal, but I love Reese Witherspoon personally, so you might disagree, but then again, how will you know if you don't give the movie a shot? So, sit back and just have fun!

6/10

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Melanie's Getting Married

Filming Locations:

Alabama, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$35,648,740, 29 September 2002

Gross USA:

$127,223,418

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$180,622,424

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:

2.39 : 1