Summary
- Space Cadet pays tribute to Reese Witherspoon’s iconic movie, Legally Blonde, with character parallels and comedic scenes.
- Emma Roberts stars as Rex Chapman, an unconventional astronaut candidate who overcomes doubters and proves her worth.
- Both Space Cadet’s Rex and Legally Blonde’s Elle showcase resilience, optimism, and determination to chase their dreams despite facing prejudices.
Amazon Prime Video’s new romantic comedy movie, Space Cadet, cleverly pays tribute to one of Reese Witherspoon’s most iconic movies through character parallels and comedic scenes. Space Cadet stars Emma Roberts as Rex Chapman, a woman who decides to return to her dream of becoming an astronaut 10 years after putting her dream on hold to care for her dying mother and grieving father. Though the film has some emotional moments, Roberts and The Space Cadet cast hope to bring more laughter than tears.
When Rex makes it to the NASA astronaut training program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, she is joined by a unique group of characters. Space Cadet follows them as they try to make it through the many difficult psychological, physical, and practical tests they must pass to become an astronaut. Rex makes for an unconventional astronaut candidate, or Ascan as they are known in the movie, but Space Cadet’s ending proves her doubters wrong.
Space Cadet Has Many Parallels To 2001’s Legally Blonde
The Characters & Their Messages Mirror Each Other
2001’s Legally Blonde is often considered Reese Witherspoon’s most popular, if not best, movie and performance. Though the role has been played multiple times in the stage adaptation, the character of Elle Woods has become synonymous with Witherspoon. Elle set the standard for many smart “dumb blondes” that came after her, and Rex Simpson in Space Cadet is no exception. Though their journeys aren’t the same, Witherspoon’s Legally Blonde character and Roberts’ Space Cadet character often mirror each other. Despite their talent, both characters are frequently undermined due to their looks and demeanor.
Elle’s pink clothes, optimistic personality, and lack of pre-law experience caused people to dismiss her as a bimbo. Rex’s crop tops, short shorts, positivity, and initial failure to understand certain scientific concepts caused people to dismiss her as just another party girl. Yet, Elle and Rex proved others wrong when they worked hard to catch up with, and eventually surpass, their peers. Legally Blonde and Space Cadet had messages about looking past stereotypes, leading with optimism and compassion, and chasing your dreams no matter how improbable they may seem.
Legally Blonde (2001)
- Director
- Robert Luketic
- Release Date
- July 13, 2001
- Writers
- Karen McCullah Lutz , Kirsten Smith
- Cast
- Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Selma Blair , Matthew Davis , Victor Garber , Jennifer Coolidge
- Runtime
- 96 Minutes
- Sequel(s)
- Legally Blonde 2: Red , White & Blonde (2003)
Rex’s Cover Letter Was Reminiscent Of Elle’s Video Essay In Legally Blonde
Rex Relied On Unconventional Experience In Her Cover Letter
Multiple Space Cadet scenes can be seen as inspired by, or easily compared to, Legally Blonde. This includes Rex’s studying montage, which is similar to Elle’s. Yet the scene that stands out the most is when Rex writes her unconventional cover letter to NASA, reminiscent of Elle’s video essay application to Harvard in Legally Blonde. In both scenes, the characters use their outside-of-the-box thinking, another one of their shared strengths, to try and impress their respective admissions boards.
Their storylines diverge when Rex’s best friend, Nadine, edits Rex’s cover letter with lies about her resume. Rex’s original cover letter was about helping an inexperienced but passionate woman whose dreams had been deferred finally get to live them out. In the scenes where their respective admissions boards contemplate accepting them, the head of the board is initially judgmental before becoming impressed. Elle from Legally Blonde and Rex from Space Cadet may be on different paths, but it’s hard not to compare the new space comedy movie to the Reese Witherspoon classic.
Space Cadet (2024)
A young woman with no formal training unexpectedly finds herself in a space program after a series of fortunate events. As she navigates rigorous training and high-stakes challenges, she must prove her capabilities to skeptical teammates and instructors.
- Director
- Liz W. Garcia
- Release Date
- July 4, 2024
- Writers
- Liz W. Garcia
- Cast
- Emma Roberts , Tom Hopper , Poppy Liu , Gabrielle Union , Kuhoo Verma , Desi Lydic , Sebastián Yatra , Sam Robards
- Runtime
- 110 Minutes