2 reviews

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Andrea Hopkins April 1, 2008

An absolutely delicious rom-com confection, right down to the ending (if Shakespeare can do manifestly artificial happy endings, why not Hollywood?). Katherine Heigl as Jane is an almost uniquely sympathetic heroine - she's attractive without being either ridiculously beautiful or obviously surgically enhanced, she looks like a normal woman instead of a concentration camp victim, and she's warm, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and a hopeless romantic. She bags a lot of the pleasingly acerbic one-liners in this sparky script, and keeps it grounded and believable. The filmmakers managed to cleverly cast actors who were discernibly similar to play the part of George (Edward Burns), for whom Jane cherishes a hopeless passion, and her father (Brian Kerwin), a very sweet, old-fashioned, regular decent guy. This explains the perversity of Jane continuing to adore George even after the appearance of James Marsden as Kevin Doyle, because trust me, ladies, nobody is going to want to climb over Kevin to get to George. Plus there is a cracking turn by Judy Greer as Jane's permanently hungover friend Casey.

We loved every minute of it and in fact I shall have to go and see it again. 9/10

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Glenn Watson March 25, 2008

For 26 of its 27, 27 Dresses is twirly and eye-catching. Bit of shame the ending is such a hand-me-down.

Jane (Katherine Heigl - Knocked Up, Greys’ Anatomy) is always the bridesmaid never the bride. Funny and feisty, she reliably arranges other people’s marriages, just never gets to wear the white dress herself. Soon wedding columnist Kevin (James Marsden - Enchanted) cottons on to her story – and finds himself falling for her.

But Jane only has eyes for her boss George (Edward Burns). And while Jane – as his secretary - is often his saviour, George never suspects her true feelings. Neither does her flighty sister Tess (Malin Akerman) – who promptly asks George out herself. But is that one bridesmaid’s dress too many for Jane?

Sparky and smart, 27 Dresses will certainly entertain its intended audience. All the romcom rules are ticked. But there are some quirky touches along the way. Jane, flitting between weddings, uses a taxi as a changing room in one of the film's best scenes. And the showdown between Jane and her sister (surely-she-won’t-say-that) makes you cringe and cheer in equal measure.

27 Dresses weaves a familiar fabric. The journo-after-a-story plotline surfaced in Hitch and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Better than the latter, it’s not a patch on Hitch. As a girls’ own film, though, it nails the perils and pains of sibling rivalry, unrequited love, social embarrassment and romantic longing.

Marsden exudes charm playing yet another prince charming. And all the right sparks fly in his scenes with Heigl. Even their bar-room-blitz version of Elton John’s Benny and the Jets creates a kind of chemistry. But while Burns is suitably solid as George, Malin Akerman - as Jane’s sexy-sister - mines every amount of bitchiness and even bags some unexpected sympathy.

27 Dresses swishes along nicely. But the ‘will-they-won’t-they’ ending is botched. Pretty inexcusable for a romcom - in which the clincher is everything. But while it’s not blessed with the smartest of scripts, 27 Dresses still cuts a dash – and fits Heigl to a tee.