27 Dresses (2008)

27 Dresses is you basic wedding romantic comedy with the eternal bridesmaid who while incredibly beautiful can't find her man because she's waiting and enthralled by her prince charming. That's the boring part that Hollywood loves to throw at us.The interesting part is that not one but two third parties come to mess things up. Then it gets interesting. The middle part is hilarious, which give the movie most of its appeal. Near the end, it gets a bit dramatic, it gets more points there. However, it ends well, which is not such a bad thing, but I would have ripped the last scene out to make it much better. Hollywood likes to tie all the loose ends too much for its artistic good.That being said, Katherine Heigl and James Marsden are excellent, very funny, and easy to relate to. She story, even if it doesn't bring anything new, is interesting, and the plot developments are not too bad, to the exception of the "unforgivable lie" which rears its ugly head again. How tiresome.You want a nice romantic comedy with enjoyable characters, it's for you.

Apparently the female world still centres around the concept of marriage, especially when losing your mother at an early age. Jane (Katherine Heigl) fetishizes weddings to the extreme, gathering all 27 dresses, where she functioned as a bridesmaid and dedicating to them a grand closet. Essentially treating it as her calling she takes great pride in functioning as the organiser, consoler and mind behind the event. Everyday life has her work as a personal assistant for philanthropist George (Edward Burns), who is also an object of obsessed puppy love. When Jane's sister, Tess (Malin Åkerman), comes to visit the situation complicates itself, as the younger sibling captures the eye and ultimately heart of George. Meanwhile Jane's exploits as a mass-bridesmaid captures the interest of cynical commitment newspaper journalist with a post-crash test helmet hair-do Kevin (James Marsden), witness to Jane servicing two weddings during one night.Female characters are formed in such a way, that were it helmed by a male the term misogynist could very easily surface due to its outdated stereotyping, where females live the childhood dream of marriage as their sole goal, while men are cynical towards the whole concept. Still somehow the storyline found relative appeal amongst the target group, hence despite the stance of Jane being passé the idea of a grand white wedding has not entirely lost its magic. The problems with "27 dresses" don't stop there, as occasionally borderline race stereotypes are ventured in a poorly conceived manner, once even with a cringe-worthy depiction of all Asians as being short. Ultimately these flaws can be glossed over and focus probably best diverted to the satisfaction level offered by the simplistic and clichéd story, which offers no surprises and main strength lies in the graceful allurement of Katherine Heigl. Humour levels lay pretty low, so despite an enticing portrayal of a romantically lost and somewhat ungainly Jane the pull of the movie makes it a replicable and quickly forgettable affair.

It's taken me four years to get around to watching this and then only because it was shown on television on a day when nothing much was happening. It was certainly watchable and had I seen it in a regular theatre I could have noted that it's enjoyable to watch but you forget it even as you walk down the aisle. It's one of those movies where reality is not allowed to intrude. Everyone is pretty, handsome, glamorous, everyone has a good job, fine apartments, can afford to take cabs everywhere and dine in expensive restaurants. No one has ever heard of food stamps and probably thinks Relief is what you get at a massage parlor. On the other hand it has laughter and tears and is undemanding. What can I tell you.

This is a typical romantic chick flick so if you're into cheesy dialogue, predictable ending, and "aww" moments then this movie is for you! 27 Dresses has a great plot with unexpected twists that will keep you wanting more. It's a perfect movie to see for a girl's night out. Jane (Katherine Heigl) has been a wedding planner for over 27 different brides, trying to hold on to the memory of each wedding through her bridesmaid dresses. Alongside, she works at another company where she is madly in love with her boss, George (Edward Burns). This secret love for him has been going on for a while and she still hasn't gotten the nerve to tell him. The day she thought she would confess was the same day her sister Tess came to visit. Tess is a self-centered woman with a flirty charm who at a party gets the boss falling for her. Jane is even more crushed when she finds out that George and Tess' love eventually turns into marriage. Can you guess what happens next? Yes, Jane is asked to plan the wedding for her sister who stole the man she loved. Twisted enough? Katherine Heigl was great; she completely took on the role of her character. Her performance allows the viewer to connect to her character to the point where they feel the anticipation of knowing the guy they love may end with some other girl or even worse, their sister! Another actor who stood out was the male lead, James Marsden (Kevin). This was his first male lead role in a chick flick and he pulled it off great. I really enjoyed his cynical attitude and his jokes that always lighten up the mood throughout the movie.27 Dresses is a movie that really connects with the female audience because many girls have experienced the pain of when the guy is in love with runs off with her best friend. There's a scene in the movie where her sister Tess is out with George and the thoughts that pass through her mind are hilarious! Her way of releasing the stress and frustration by grumbling, cleaning, and talking to herself are funny because it is based on the reality of how people sometimes do the silliest things over a broken heart. I don't think any of us can even think about having to plan a wedding for the guy we love and only in a movie would someone be roped into a situation like that. This movie has enough of a basis in reality that it connects to the viewer's life, but the circumstances are quirky enough that people enjoy the humorous and upbeat situations. The twisted plot and great actors will have you engaged throughout the film. Being a romantic comedy, it has a predictable ending and its fair share of cheesy dialogue but it's definitely worth watching for a good laugh!