Delta Films Movie Reviews
27 Dresses
Review - "27 Dresses   " (in theatres) - By Roland Hansen
“27 Dresses” (in theaters)  
Fox 2000 Pictures release starring Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Edward Burns, and Malin Akerman.
March 03, 2008
Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. As the film title implies, Jane (Katherine Heigl) has been a
bridesmaid 27 times. She is the ultimate bridesmaid, only concerned with making the day perfect for
the bride. She does everything for them from flowers, cake, and invitations to holding up their dresses
in the ladies room so they can pee. She is also the perfect assistant. Her boss, George (Edward
Burns) would be lost without her. I am surprised he can tie his own shoelaces without her assistance.
He probably uses Velcro. Jane has been in love with George for years. George, of course, is
completely clueless. George falls for Jane’s sister (Malin Akerman) and Jane must now plan her own
sisters wedding to the man she secretly loves. Cue laugh track.

I am a big fan of romance films and I very much enjoyed 27 Dresses. For my part I find it hard to
believe that anyone a gorgeous and incredibly sexy as Katherine Heigl could possibly be single and
alone. It’s nearly impossible to believe that every single guy in Manhattan, and most of the married
ones, isn’t knocking down her door to date her.

During her latest stint in the wedding entourage Jane shuttles back and forth between two weddings
and receptions held on the same day at the same time, and, of course, she is a bridesmaid in both.
She runs into Kevin (James Marsden), a cynical journalist who writes a wedding column for the NY
Times society section. He is sick of the “romantic claptrap” he is forced to write and longs for more
substantial reporting. Kevin and Jane take an immediate dislike to each other. After finding Jane’s planner and discovering she makes a
career of being the go-to gal in weddings he talks his editor into doing a story on Jane, the perennial bridesmaid. As cover he is sent to
cover Jane's sister’s wedding.

Under the pretence of helping her with planning the wedding Kevin befriends Jane in order to get the “dirt” for his story. Jane has a closet
literally bursting at the seams filled with the 27 bridesmaids dresses which she keeps (we assume) for sentimental reasons. Kevin talks
her into showing him all the dresses and she ends up modeling them for him. Each one more hideous than the last. Jane and Kevin reach
that inevitable point in their attracted-opposites relationship when they’re ready to unwind, the writer puts them through an amusing
drunken karaoke scene of Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets”. Predictably along the way, Kevin falls in love with Jane. He begs his editor
not to run with the story. His editor betrays him, Jane discovers Kevin has betrayed her and then subsequently betrays her sister, thus
ruining her wedding. Of course this is a romantic comedy and Hollywood must give us a happy ending. Jane’s final disposition of the
titular gowns is brilliant and hilarious. When seeing this film stay and watch the ending credits, they are done in a very unique, and
ultimately appropriate style. Fitting in perfectly with the movies plot.

“27 Dresses” is pure cinematic chick flick fluff. A little peanut butter and some white bread and you’ll be all set for lunch. This movie uses
every clichéd plot device in the romance film genre. There’s a lonely girl secretly in love with a guy who barely even knows she exists.
There’s the mistaken identity where she thinks the guy is a jerk but doesn't know he’s really someone else that she’s respected and
admired for years. And of course he behaves like a cynic but is really a real romantic who was deeply hurt a long time ago. You can
always tell the one the girl will end up with because when they first meet in the beginning of the movie they hate each other. There’s the  
“I’m such an idiot” moment when the guy she’s been in love with for ever realizes the perfect girl was right in from of him the whole time.
There’s the “holy shit” moment when she realizes she isn’t really in love with this guy she’s secretly had a crush on for 15 years and really
loves the other guy she thought she hated. All this works well for "27 Dresses". Katherine Heigl and James Marsden carry this films with
their acting and chemistry.

A great date movie but be wary if you aren't ready to pop the question, this film will definitely get her thinking about the big day. Funny
and formulaic, “27 Dresses” is a pleasantly predictable romantic comedy. With this follow up to her hit “Knocked Up”, Katherine Heigl has
found her acting niche. She should stick with this genre as she excels in it.
For comments or to submit a movie review for possible inclusion on Delta Films site
please send an email to
Critics@deltafilms.net