Running time: 107 minutes
Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns, Judy Greer
Rating 5 out of 10
Katherine Heigl's character Jane Nichols, who's perennially the bridesmaid - hence a wardrobe full of 27 horrendous bridesmaid dresses - and never the bride, has a problem saying "no." She's unable to turn down requests of help from her wedding-bound friends. As a consequence she's had no time to focus on her own pitiful love life. Saying "no" is something Heigl would have been well advised to have done when asked to star in the listless 27 Dresses. Devoid of anything remotely original, it's a vapid and formulaic romantic comedy that only manages to remain afloat thanks to the buoyant Heigl.
It's hard to understand why the majority of romantic comedies exist in some sort of parallel universe where women only need take off their glasses or let down their hair to be transformed into a stunning beauty, their best friends are always sharp tongued-comics and at some point they are involved in an impromptu outburst of public singing. In its defence, 27 Dresses only includes two of these clichés, but Aline Brosh McKenna's script contains plenty more to make up for the missing obligatory one.
Jane is in love with her boss George (Edward Burns), who is the only one in the office unaware of her feelings. So she channels all her romantic tendencies and organizational skills into arranging the numerous weddings of friends. When her opportunist, self-absorbed sister Tess (Malin Akerman) shows up, George is immediately smitten and the pair hastily get engaged, much to Jane's devastation. To pour salt in the wound, Tess asks Jane to arrange the wedding and be a bridesmaid.
Amidst all this, Jane is deflecting the attention of the persistent Kevin (James Marsden), a reporter with the New York Journal whose cynicism about marriage belies the fact that he writes the paper's weekly "Weddings" column, of which Jane is a huge fan. With the tangled web of love established, it's never in doubt where it's all going to end up. It's just a question of director Anne Fletcher filling up the intervening period with enough diversions, which she does with mixed success.
It's hard to fault the endeavor of the cast, who work valiantly and enthusiastically with the mediocre material. Judy Greer is terrific as Jane's acid-tongued friend Casey and James Marsden follows up his hilarious turn in Enchanted with a charmingly offhand performance. Heigl proved her comic chops in Knocked Up and combines that here with a natural ease and sexiness. Her talents make her a perfect fit for romantic comedies, it's just 27 Dresses could have used a few alterations.
Kevin Murphy
It's hard to understand why the majority of romantic comedies exist in some sort of parallel universe where women only need take off their glasses or let down their hair to be transformed into a stunning beauty, their best friends are always sharp tongued-comics and at some point they are involved in an impromptu outburst of public singing. In its defence, 27 Dresses only includes two of these clichés, but Aline Brosh McKenna's script contains plenty more to make up for the missing obligatory one.
Jane is in love with her boss George (Edward Burns), who is the only one in the office unaware of her feelings. So she channels all her romantic tendencies and organizational skills into arranging the numerous weddings of friends. When her opportunist, self-absorbed sister Tess (Malin Akerman) shows up, George is immediately smitten and the pair hastily get engaged, much to Jane's devastation. To pour salt in the wound, Tess asks Jane to arrange the wedding and be a bridesmaid.
Amidst all this, Jane is deflecting the attention of the persistent Kevin (James Marsden), a reporter with the New York Journal whose cynicism about marriage belies the fact that he writes the paper's weekly "Weddings" column, of which Jane is a huge fan. With the tangled web of love established, it's never in doubt where it's all going to end up. It's just a question of director Anne Fletcher filling up the intervening period with enough diversions, which she does with mixed success.
It's hard to fault the endeavor of the cast, who work valiantly and enthusiastically with the mediocre material. Judy Greer is terrific as Jane's acid-tongued friend Casey and James Marsden follows up his hilarious turn in Enchanted with a charmingly offhand performance. Heigl proved her comic chops in Knocked Up and combines that here with a natural ease and sexiness. Her talents make her a perfect fit for romantic comedies, it's just 27 Dresses could have used a few alterations.
Kevin Murphy
