MOVIE NIGHT
27 Dresses (2008)
27 Dresses deals with every girl's dream of having the perfect wedding day and finding that happy-ever-after. But what if you continue to be just the bridesmaid, wedding after wedding, ready to catch the bouquet instead of being the one throwing it? Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl) is the girl who is always the bridesmaid, dressed in all kinds of colourful and decorated dresses, instead of the dashing bride in elegant white. Even though Jane has always longed for her own perfect wedding, she hasn't found Mr Right yet, mainly because she is too busy pleasing others instead of focusing on her own life. Even when her younger sister Tess (Malin Akerman) falls head over heels in love with Jane's boss George, whom Jane has had a major crush on for quite some time, Jane can't help but say 'yes' when her sister asks her to be their wedding planner. Journalist Kevin Doyle (James Marsden) witnesses Jane attending two completely different weddings in one evening and decides to write a story about her. Jane can't stand Kevin and his cynicism towards weddings, but as her sister's wedding gets closer Jane starts to realise it might be time for her to start thinking about herself instead of forever playing the role of the dutiful bridesmaid.
This film, which is directed by Anne Fletcher, known for Step Up (2006) and The Proposal (2009), fits the 'chick flick' label perfectly. It includes all the things an enjoyable romantic comedy needs: a relatable heroine (a great role played by Heigl), a handsome man (Marsden), the funny best friend (played by the marvellous Judy Greer), and a dilemma, which in this case is even linked to weddings and dresses. Yes, the film is predictable, and yes, the plotline is perhaps not that original, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable 110 minutes that doesn't require too much thinking and left me with a smile on my face. 27 Dresses is a light and easy romantic comedy; a film I recommend to anyone who's a Katherine Heigl fan or enjoys a wedding-themed chick flick.
Movie reviewed by Jody Hoekstra