I don’t particularly love Katherine Heigl (she never seems to totally disappear into a role) and I pretty much can’t stand James Marsden (something about him being so good all the time), but I love weddings, and I loved 27 Dresses. Heigl was actually believable as Jane, a wedding-obsessed perennial bridesmaid pining for her boss (Edward Burns). Marsden was a bit of a cad for once, cynical in his role as Kevin, the seemingly anti-romance wedding columnist. In stepping a few inches outside of their comfort zones, the duo brought a surprising freshness to rather stereotypical characters.
I completely related to Jane’s tendency to say “yes” to any request, even if it inconvenienced her (two weddings in one night? Yikes!). I enjoyed the fact that I didn’t like Kevin at first, and yet he reeled me in just as he wooed Heigl’s plain Jane. I felt for her when Kevin’s article exposing her bridesmaiding record hit the stands and winced when her oblivious and sometimes cruel sister, Tess (Malin Akerman), threw herself at Jane’s boss (and object of desire).
In the midst of this somewhat stereotypical love triangle (square? polygon?), there were true moments of hilarity and actual moments of reality. Who ever likes to remember singing at a bar at the top of one’s lungs, once sober? Who can say no to a pleading sister asking for help? Who hasn’t said something they later regretted? And who hasn’t taken a running leap to get on board a departing boat in order to profess their love? Okay, so maybe that last one wasn’t terribly realistic, but I was smiling in joy all the same. While not the most original chick flick, 27 Dresses surprised me just enough to be enjoyable, thanks to a fun script and steady direction by Anne Fletcher (female directors always make me happy, as they are, sadly, a rare breed in Hollywood).
Next time it’s just you and the girls, rent 27 Dresses. Make some popcorn and cookies, curl up in your pajamas, and enjoy. Especially marvel at the wide variety of bridesmaid’s dresses Jane pulls out of her closet, and make note to never force a similar dress on your own bridesmaids!
27 Dresses was written by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) and is rated PG-13. The DVD extras include some of the usual making-of shorts, a few deleted scenes, and an amusing documentary about “The Running of the Brides,” a huge bridal gown sale that attracts a horde of bargain-hungry brides-to-be from around the country.
Photo credit: reelmovienews.com
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