Sure she kicked the hell out of the LSAT and she makes for an entertaining graduation costume, but there is nothing about Elle Woods that should play into your decision calculus when choosing to go to law school.
Citing Elle Woods as an inspiration for attending law school isn’t new, but on the occasion of the film’s fifteenth anniversary, far too many people still act like it’s acceptable to make costly professional decisions based on this one-note joke.
People Magazine collected a bunch of insights from Elle Woods fans, and it’s a terrifying glimpse into the decline and fall of the rule of law in America.
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Shalyn Smith, 24, a law student and former sorority president:
“Elle embodies fighting for what is right, staying true to yourself, and defeating the odds. Its [sic] crazy that one movie can do that, you know?”
No. No, it’s not crazy at all. Nearly every movie ever does that. It’s a pretty standard trope in storytelling, actually.
@RWitherspoon If Elle Woods can do law school I think I can too 🙌🏽🙈
— Kenzie Mae (@Kenzmae20) July 13, 2016
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These people know it’s not a documentary, right?
If Elle Woods doesn't motivate you to want to go to law school and prove yourself, IDK WHAT WILL. #Elle4Prez
— ⓗⓐⓛⓞ (@lemmeseeurhalo) June 18, 2016
A passion for justice? An interest in the complex legal challenges facing global business? Anything actually related to the job of being a lawyer? We wouldn’t countenance someone saying Psycho motivated them to become a hotel manager, so why act like this is acceptable?
https://twitter.com/DeannaCeleste_x/status/743591050833465344
Whenever I question my decision to fight the Eastern European mob by myself, I think of Liam Neeson. If he can do it, I can do it.
https://twitter.com/laurapeed/status/752248138417582080
Yes. It is absolutely bad.
Here’s a film clip all Elle Woods lovers should be forced to watch after they say anything resembling the above. The movie’s a little bit older, but it does have a character who fights for what’s right, stays true to himself, and defeats the odds, which is apparently the heightened standard for world-class cinema:
Bear these statements in mind the next time you criticize someone for spending $500 on sports or Star Trek memorabilia. Because spending so much money to be one step closer to Tom Brady or Captain Kirk is still about 500 times smarter than going to law school to be like Elle Woods.
Joe Patrice is an editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.