Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde succumbed to the inevitable fate of sequels.

When protagonist Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is planning her wedding to Mr. Perfect, she hires a private detective to locate the mother of her adopted Chihuahua, Bruiser. Elle insists on sending an invitation to her best friend's family and is distraught when Bruiser's mother turns up in a cosmetic testing facility.

Decked out in stars, stripes and Versace, the woman who pulled off nearly 40 hairstyles in the first Barbie-meets-brains extravaganza takes off to change the federal laws regarding cosmetic testing on animals.

"I taught Bruiser how to shop online; I think I can handle Congress," Elle resolves.

Decked out in her signature color, hot pink, while spewing patronizingly patriotic phrases like "time to legislate," and "Hello patriots," through a sparkling smile whiter than the tips on a French manicure, Elle does not make friends on Capitol Hill.

Despite efforts to create a positive atmosphere in Congresswoman Rudd's office, ranging from a Snap Cup, a sorority tradition in which anonymous compliments are placed in a mug and read aloud, to conforming by wearing more subdued hues in the workplace, Woods does not win over very many friends.

In the sequel, as in the predecessor, Elle uses fairy-tale charm to get real-life results. She gets a hearing in front of the Committee of Energy and Commerce by schmoozing rigid Congresswoman Hauser and opening a conservative congressman's eyes to his dog's homosexual tendencies. Eventually, Ms. Woods drops a pink covered, lightly scented, spiral bound bill, known as Bruiser's Bill, into the hopper. With the help of Sid the doorman, Delta Nu sisters from across the country and late nights at the Library of Congress, Elle comes out on top and Bruiser's mom makes it to the "wedding of the century."

Super-cute for the first hour or so, lines taken straight out of the first movie and predictable plays make well-intentioned Elle seem tiresome. I'd rather wear last season's Prada than see Legally Blonde 2 again and recommend spending the wasted hours reading a book instead.

-- Reviewed by Jocelyn Brick-Turin