Sweet Home Alabama
Movie: Sweet Home Alabama
Location: New York to Alabama
Melanie Carmichael (Reese Witherspoon) has her dream job as a top fashion designer who just debuted her collection at fashion week in Bryant Park, NYC. To make matters even better, her gorgeous boyfriend, Andrew (Patrick Dempsey), just proposed marriage. Now all Melanie has to do is officially divorce her husband Jake (Josh Lucas) who she hasn't seen in seven years. So Melanie flies down from New York to Alabama to force Jake to give her the divorce she's been asking for.
We first see Mel driving her fancy car down the provincial town roads in Alabama. The houses/plantations are magnificently shown and those who don't live the grand life are shown in their trailer homes. The foliage is gorgeous as the weather turns and small lakes and bodies of water may just be in your backyard. Alabama is portrayed as full of nature and having very small townships. The people who grow up there rarely move out but take on regular jobs. The people are friendly; the bank teller knows your business and the security guard knows your past. Its even shows as not wanting to become technologically savvy by refusing to add ATMS because it would take away the banks personal contact with the customers. The thing that really highlights the small town feel is the fun carnival/square dance in the middle of the town. Everyone's invited for dance, grub, and good times. In addition, the South likes to have war reenactments. Though this movie is a great romantic, chick flick love story - viewers can learn about Southern small towns too.
