Reese Witherspoon: five best moments

http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2015/jan/30/reese-witherspoon-five-best-moments

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Reese Witherspoon could teach the average washed-up child star a thing or two. At 38, she’s been making movies for more than 23 years and seemingly hardly lost focus. Over a career spanning dark comedy, emotive drama and even a well-executed bimbo role – American Psycho, we’re looking at you – she’s made the move from an easily typecast pretty face to a gritty lead.

She stars in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, released in the US on 9 January, out in the UK this weekend and hitting Australia’s cinemas on 12 March. What better reason to look back at her five most impressive performances? Join us, by adding your picks in the comments.

Election

As tightly wound high-school over-achiever Tracy Flick, Witherspoon positively rippled with a frantic energy. The role pitted her against Matthew Broderick’s Jim McAllister, and allowed for abundant jaw-clenching and nostril-flaring as Flick campaigned relentlessly for a position as student body president. She earned a best actress Golden Globe nomination for the part.

Wild

The older Witherspoon gets, the more willing she is to take risks. Her role, in Jean-Marc Vallée’s biographical tale of Cheryl Strayed’s long and soul-searching trek across the Pacific Crest trail, cast her against cute-but-vacant type. She’s currently in the running for a best actress Oscar, at next month’s ceremony, and earned herself nominations at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild awards and other critics’ awards.

The Man in the Moon

In her 1991 feature film debut, a teenaged Witherspoon tackled the issue of unrequited pubescent love directed at an older, brother-like figure – needless to say, a challenging role. She tapped into the raw volatility that so often makes coming-of-age films especially memorable. And here we are, 14 years later, still thinking about her turn as Dani Trant.

Legally Blonde

Yes, Reese. Yes to absurdly perky Reese, as super-girly sorority sister Elle Woods in this Robert Luketic comedy of one woman’s ludicrous journey through law school. Fundamentally, Woods’ ambition was rooted in an attempt to win back an ex-boyfriend, but Witherspoon imbued the character with enough heart, relentless optimism and drive to just about make up for her feminist failings.

Walk the Line

Before starring opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Inherent Vice, Witherspoon wowed audiences and critics with her portrayal of June Carter to his Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s practically flawless biographical drama. Witherspoon not only sang all her parts in the film, but put in a gutsy and powerful performance to match Phoenix’s lead role. The critics rewarded her in turn: she earned best actress gongs at the Baftas, Golden Globes, Oscars and Screen Actors Guild awards.