Opinion » Movie Reviews

27 hideous dresses equals one average film

Print this story | Email this story

Several years ago, when my friend Maria asked me to be one of her bridesmaids, I felt honored, but that was before I went for my first fitting. She assured me, like so many brides do, that I would wear the dress many times, but when I saw the bright green, form-fitting, halter-style taffeta dress with its huge bustle-type butt bow, I nearly died. She said, “It'll look great on.” I thought, “On what? Fire?” Still, I donned that dress and paraded down the aisle with my Anderson Sisters' style up-do and for years that dress hung in my closet, until I finally donated it to Goodwill.

Such is the plight of wedding addict Jane (Katherine Heigl, “Grey's Anatomy's” Izzie), but she doesn't donate the dresses, she collects them all - 27 to be exact - 27 obscenely hideous dresses. In Heigl's new film, “27 Dresses,” she takes the “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride” thing to the nth degree. While the movie can be funny and hopeful, length and predictability hinder much pleasure in the viewing.

Jane first discovers her love of weddings as a child; she has a knack for picking out just the right flowers, perfect centerpieces, color themes and even venues. Jane is so often involved in weddings, she is infamous as the one every woman should befriend to ensure the perfect wedding. Kevin (James Marsden), a cynical wedding reporter, sees Jane darting by cab to two different wedding and soon learns of Jane's obsession with the nuptials of others. He follows her around for a story, while Jane's sister Tess (Malin Akerman) has come to town and immediately sets her own sights on Jane's boss George (Edward Burns) with whom Jane has been not-so-secretly and madly in love for years. Soon Jane is planning her sister's wedding - a wedding she feels should be her own.

To be fair, Heigl and Marsden are adorable and the chemistry between them is good. Akerman (a bit of a Cameron Diaz look-alike) lights up the screen, but the predictability of the storyline borders on obnoxious. A freight train though a living room would have more subtle than the plot of “27 Dresses.” To say that it falls into the category of formulaic romantic comedy is an understatement. Even though it is brought to us by the writer of “The Devil Wears Prada” (Aline Brosh McKenna), the script is so transparent, a middle school student might have penned it after reading a few Sweet Valley High novels. But so what, if some aspects entertain? And these good-looking actors do.

If forced to pick a weak link, I would have to say Burns did not impress me much. I never realized how high-pitched his voice is and he seems awkward and slightly out of place in this. Jane's best friend Casey (Judy Greer) brings a great many chuckles and even Jane's between-wedding taxi driver offers laughs.

I loved Marsden in “Hairspray” and “Enchanted” and he is just as good in this - perhaps even better than Heigl, although I truly enjoy her too. He proves himself a versatile actor and I look forward to his next venture. Who knew? Heigl smoothly slips into this type of role, not over- or underdoing it. Jane is no cartoon. She is a woman to whom many can relate and she never plays herself off as overly silly or pathetic. I liked her character, even more than the one she played in “Knocked Up” and she made me care enough to see the film to the end, even if the end was a bit long in coming.

McKenna and director Anne Fletcher (“Step Up”) must be huge fans of romance movies, particularly older films in the genre, rather than more modern, slightly quirky romantic comedies. More contemporary romantic movies seem to rely solely on the genre's premise without thinking about the importance of building quality three-dimensional characters and interesting and fresh story developments. McKenna and Fletcher do avoid the overly forced laughs and asinine physical comedy that ruin many romantic films for me. Instead they create fun moments building on the relationship between Jane, her boss, her sister and the annoying gatecrasher (Kevin) who seems to show up everywhere, haunting Jane. Much like the aforementioned train wreck, Jane and Kevin's relationship culminates in a very funny scene where they drunkenly dance in a trashy bar and sing their own butchered version of Elton John's “Benny and the Jets.”

“27 Dresses,” rated PG-13, won't please everyone. It certainly disappointed the men sitting around me. Most of the women in the audience had nice things to say, but not all. I found it entertainingly tolerable and while I might never see it again, I have seen far worse.

I am placing a C in my gradebook. It deserves an average grade for an average film.

Reader Comments