By If you have a yearning for a warm, humorous, yet predictable, run-of-the-mill romantic comedy to see on your weekend night, “27 Dresses” starring the comedic Katherine Heigl, who received her credibility in last summer’s “Knocked Up,” will be sure to suit your fancy.
The movie directed by Anne Fletcher (“Step Up”), follows the conventional single-woman-who-lives-vicariously-through-other’s-romances plot. It is nothing refreshing or out of the box, but Heigl’s performance as Jane, a selfless young woman who finds great joy in being the right-hand bridesmaid for her friends (hence, the 27 dresses she has collected over the years), no matter what inconveniences their weddings may cause her, carried the film with her quirky sense of humor and innocently attractive looks.
We first meet Jane frantically running back and forth between her 26th and 27th wedding, racing through town in a taxi and changing her bridesmaid dresses along the ride. She has obviously done this before because no one has caught on to her gig, except for a handsome, yet cynical commencement journalist named Kevin, played by James Marsden, who comes to her aid as she is knocked unconscious in an attempt to catch one of the bride’s bouquets. It is a very typical “movie meet queue,” but heartfelt nonetheless. Of course, Kevin’s pessimistic attitude toward romance and weddings annoys Jane, which causes their encounter to quickly turn to hate at first sight.
The plot thickens a little more as Jane’s flighty and seemingly more beautiful younger sister, Tess, played by Malin Akerman, comes to town, causing a major disturbance in Jane’s world. She is secretly, yet obviously in love with her eco-friendly, go-green boss who fails to recognize her mad crush on him. When Tess meets him at a work party, they immediately fall for each other, leaving Jane in the dust. Before long, Jane’s worst nightmare has become a reality: Her sister is marrying the man she is in love with.
Although deemed as a comedy, the movie consisted more of situational irony rather than witty jokes. Throughout the majority of the movie, Jane is suffering emotionally, which makes the comedic efforts hard to catch at times. It may not cause you to roll over in stitches as you may have done in “Knocked Up,” but the movie delivers its fair share of quirky moments, drunken bar singing, montages and cute lines.
The chemistry between Marsden and Heigl is not as natural.
Even though “27 Dresses” will not be making a dent in cinematic history, it is the perfect remedy if you are in the mood for a feel-good, gushy story with all the inevitable characteristics people love to find in their romantic comedies.
