Continuity mistake: At the scene where Elle is shopping with her two friends for an outfit to wear, the saleswoman gives her a red cloth. Look at Elle's rear reflection in the mirror. There's a lot of hair at the back of her neck, but in the next shot, only a single strand is left at her neck. (00:04:35)
Continuity mistake: When Reese Witherspoon is eating chocolates after being dumped, look closely at the box. When she finds one that she likes, there are two white ones one row in from the back. Two seconds later, just before she throws the box at the screen, there's only one white one, and it's moved forwards a row. (00:11:00)
Continuity mistake: When Elle firsts sits down in the CULA counselor's office, to discuss getting into Harvard Law School, her hair is in front of her right shoulder, obscuring the sleeve of her t-shirt. The counselor speaks and in the reaction shot, her hair is behind her shoulder, you can see both sleeves. Then the counselor responds and her hair is in front of the same shoulder, again obscuring the sleeve. This repeats between shots. (00:13:10)
Continuity mistake: When Elle turns around to talk to Warner in the hallway, a guy in a beige sweater and a woman in a red sweater pass by them. After they've passed, the camera switches back to Warner, and we see them pass by the two again. (00:24:45)
Continuity mistake: Just after Elle's first day at Harvard she takes off to get her nails done. When she sits down in front of Paulette she places her hands on the table and fingers in the manicure bowl. The next shot is of Elle's back and her hands are not even on the table. Then back to Elle's face and her hands are back on the table and finally, Elle's back when she finally places her hands on the table. (00:30:55)
Continuity mistake: When Margo is picking out her wedding dress, Serena has short hair, but in the courtroom scene, she has long hair. (00:38:40 - 01:22:00)
Continuity mistake: When Elle is at the beauty salon she has 2 flowers in her hair, one purple, and one pink. When the camera angle changes, the flowers also change position from shot to shot. (00:52:23)
Continuity mistake: When Elle is called to the lawyer (Callahan), she holds some files and no bag. After he tries to pick her up, she leaves with empty hands. A few seconds later, in the corridor, she's walking with her bag on her shoulder. Where could she get it from? And did she have the time to put the files in? (01:12:10)
Revealing mistake: In the scene where Reese Witherspoon is entering the elevator after being harassed by her mentor, you can see Selma Blair's reflection in the plaque right before her cue. You see her reflection right before the doors close, so you know she was waiting for the cue. (01:12:20)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Elle gets in to the lift when she decides to quit Law, she has a big kink in her hair, however when she gets out of the lift the kink has gone. (01:15:20)
Visible crew/equipment: After Elle gets in the elevator, right after the door shuts, look for a crew guy crouching down next to her in the door's reflection. He is only visible in the Standard screen option, not Widescreen. (01:15:45)
Visible crew/equipment: Near then end of the movie, Elle leaves the courthouse after winning her case and walks out double doors that are opened for her (she says "thank you boys"). The lighting effect is a bright white scrim. You can see the white scrim material taped together in three sections, and the left-most section even has wrinkles at the top pretty bad quality set construction. (01:29:00)
Audio problem: In the scene after Reese Witherspoon and Luke Wilson are returning from questioning the ex-wife of the murder victim at a spa, they are driving up in Luke's car. You can clearly see, as they get closer to the camera, that what you hear Luke saying isn't what his lips are saying. It was a very obvious dub over...and a very bad one.
Revealing mistake: When Elle is talking to Paulette on the cell phone, while waiting for the water, the woman before her goes to the water fountain, and you see her. She doesn't drink any water. She just puts her mouth next to the fountain. It is extremely obvious.
Continuity mistake: When Elle decides to quit law school and goes to see Paulette at the nail salon, when she arrives she's crying and her face is wet with tears. In the next camera angle (2 seconds later) her face is completely dry and her makeup is normal.
Continuity mistake: In one of the courtroom scenes, you can see Paulette (the nail technician) enter with the UPS guy who has plaster on his nose - the plaster is white and has two brown pieces of tape over it. At the end of the same scene when everyone is exiting the courtroom, the UPS guy has no plaster only two, now white, pieces of tape on his nose.
Continuity mistake: When Elle is walking out after she won her case her hair is a very light blonde and wavy around the face. In the next scene when Warner is begging Elle to come back, it's obviously a reshoot - her hair is much darker and it's curled under at the ends of her hair. She is also suddenly skinnier, slightly tan, and has no dog. Even Warner's hair grew longer.
Continuity mistake: When Elle's boyfriend picks her up to go to the restaurant his hair has a parting. In the restaurant it is slicked back, after, in the car the parting is on the other side.
Continuity mistake: Near the end of the movie, when Elle walks out with Brooke, she is holding Bruiser in her left folded arm, with her dog-carrier purse, that looks like it has something in it, on her right shoulder. A few seconds later, when Warner approaches her on the steps, she has no dog but the purse looks empty.
Answer: She was talking about the word "semester." Since it is similar to the word "semen," Enid says that the word favors males. She wants to change it to "ovester." Since that word is similar to the word "ovary," it would favor females.
Paul Christian Pepiton