With a storyline that is just as bad as the dresses that Katherine Heigl is forced to wear, 27 Dresses is just plain sad. It just proves that romantic comedies are becoming more and more predictable and are seriously lacking in the romance department. Even as charismatic as Katherine Heigl and costar James Marsden are, nothing can save this sinking ship.
Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl) loves being a bridesmaid. She loves the romance and being a part of somebody’s special day. And she has 27 dresses to prove it. Jane is George (Edward Burns)’s assistant. She is also madly in love with him. So when Jane’s sister Tess (The Heartbreak Kid’s Malin Akerman) shows up and sets her sights on him, Jane is devastated. She is even more heartbroken when Tess and George get engaged. It is up to Jane to decide to keep being there for others or make herself happy. All of this while trying to put off the unwanted attention of reporter Kevin Doyle (James Marsden).
The story has nothing resembling an original thought. I identified at least three recent films that some plot points were borrowed from throughout the movie. But don’t mistake me. I don’t expect romantic comedies to be Oscar winners. I expect them to be fun and to get my mind off daily activities. And the scene where Jane is trying all of her past bridesmaid dresses on for Kevin is fun. But this doesn’t make up for the fact that you can see the ending of the movie within the first ten minutes. The cast is slightly above average considering what they had to work with. Katherine Heigl can hold her own on screen with her beauty and great comic timing (rent Knocked Up for further proof). And James Marsden is the perfect leading man with his good looks and charm. And poor Judy Greer (13 Going on 30, The Wedding Planner). This actress has made a career of being the token best friend. She is great when she is nasty, and she has a mean streak in this one that is identifiable. The bridesmaid dresses provide humor and lots of color in the film. Heigl is beautiful and tall and even she can’t pull off these dresses. All bridesmaids will identify with at least one them. New York City provides the much needed distraction of a beautiful backdrop. From Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge, all the landmarks are there.
A solid storyline that doesn’t insult its audience is sorely needed to make this film work.
With an attractive and talented cast and a beautiful city as its landscape, 27 Dresses has some positives. But unfortunately these do not outweigh the negatives and make it worthy of your time.
