Movie: 27 Dresses (PG-13)
Released: January 18th, 2008
Runtime: 1 hr. 47 min.
Ticket Price: $7.50 Matinee
Refreshments: Gummy Bears
Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Judy Greer & Edward Burns
Director: Anne Fletcher
Rating: Worth a Full Price Ticket
Synopsis: Always a bridesmaid, never a bride has never been more true than for a young woman who has been a bridesmaid 27 times. Now, she is about to stand at her younger sister’s side and watch her marry the guy she has been secretly in love with. But, while doing so, she may have actually just met the guy for her.
Review: Some will say that 27 Dresses is predictable, but really, if you are going to see a romantic comedy and you don’t expect the lead, in this case Katherine Heigl (Knocked Up, TV’s Grey’s Anatomy), to get the guy, then what did you think you were going to see. That’s what happens in romantic comedies and bizarrely enough, that’s what happens in this romantic comedy too. Sorry, hope I didn’t ruin the ending for you.
In a setup like this one, you might actually expect the girl to end up with her boss, played by Edward Burns (One Missed Call, Confidence), she has been pining after, as he finally comes to his senses and sees what he has been missing. But, they don’t go that direction. They bring another guy, a reporter, played by James Marsden (Enchanted, X-Men), to get her out of her “yes” girl rut.
While you are to believe that someone that looks as good as Heigl does, would be overlooked by anyone, she pulls the character off quite nicely. Her expressive face provides much of the humor and sorrowful moments in the movie. She is very good at showing you what her character is feeling, so you can feel it right along with her. She is also quite adept at the physical comedy the role calls for.
Marsden seems to be having a lot of fun with the role of a reporter stuck covering weddings for the life section of the paper that stumbles upon what looks to be a great story about a perpetual bridesmaid. This could be his chance to move up and start covering bigger news stories. Yet, while doing so, he may have found something else that could change his life.
In 27 Dresses there are a lot of great scenes, like Heigl and Marsden mangling the lyrics to Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets” at a roadside bar after getting stranded in a rainstorm. Or, the montage of Heigl in many of her 27 bridesmaid dresses. The writers must have had a lot of fun coming up with all the different wedding themes.
Overall, 27 Dresses is a good time at the movies and worth a full price ticket. There is plenty of funny to go around, but keep your eye out for a few sight gags and subtleties that can be easily missed. Ultimately, you will leave the theater feeling happy. Well, the 53, or so, ladies and the one other guy drug there by his girlfriend that I saw it with all seemed to.
Have you seen 27 Dresses, what did you think of it?
