Despite the ugly gowns, Katherine Heigl's a sight to see in 27 Dresses.
27 Dresses (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:142
Fresh:57
Rotten:85
Average Rating:5/10
Consensus: The filmmakers perfectly follow the well-worn romantic comedy formula, rendering 27 Dresses clichéd and mostly forgettable.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for language, some innuendo and sexuality.
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Jan 18, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $76,624,274
Synopsis: KNOCKED UP's Katherine Heigl stars in this romantic comedy about a selfless young woman who is trapped in the role of perennial bridesmaid. Set in New York City, the film opens with Jane (Heigl)... KNOCKED UP's Katherine Heigl stars in this romantic comedy about a selfless young woman who is trapped in the role of perennial bridesmaid. Set in New York City, the film opens with Jane (Heigl) racing by cab to appear in two friends' weddings in the same night. She is the maid of honor for both fetes, and she rushes back and forth in time to shimmy to both electric slides. She meets Malcolm (James Marsden), a cynical young man who, unbeknownst to her, writes for a newspaper's wedding column. Malcolm is intrigued by the sheer number of times Jane has played bridesmaid, and he secretly decides to write a story about her. To further complicate Jane's life, her younger sister Tess (Malin Akerman) has just come to town and ensnared Jane's longtime crush, George (Edward Burns). When George and Tess become engaged, Jane faces the humiliating prospect of playing bridesmaid in the wedding of her sister and the man she loves. Meanwhile, Malcolm continues hounding Jane, and Jane's life and closet soon explode in a taffeta-tangled mess that forces her to make some big changes. Heigl is a pleasure to watch, as she has the kind of crowd-pleasing, no-nonsense presence that could ground any film, so 27 DRESSES greatly benefits from her comedic skill and charm. While the film features all of the hallmarks of chick flick fare (wacky best friend, dress-up sequence, obnoxious but strangely attractive love interest) the story often veers into territory that may leave some feeling it stretches even the romantic comedy standards for suspension of disbelief. Heigl deserves comparisons to Julia Roberts for her sheer likability, and like PRETTY WOMAN, women will likely watch 27 DRESSES as a pleasant diversion--aware of the fantasy, but still delighted by the attractive lady in the different outfits. [More]
Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns
Starring: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Edward Burns, Melora Hardin, Judy Greer
Director: Anne Fletcher
Director: Anne Fletcher
Screenwriter: Aline Brosh McKenna
Producer: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Jonathan Glickman
Composer: Randy Edelman
Studio: Fox 2000 Pictures
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Reviews for 27 Dresses
If you swallow this type of thing no matter what, proceed without caution. For mildly discerning viewers 27 Dresses is like re-swallowing something you already coughed up.
Under Anne Fletcher's mechanistic direction, 27 Dresses ticks along as briskly and transparently as a clock with a see-through face.
Watching "27 Dresses" is like going to a wedding that's kind of lame -- the chicken marsala is stringy, the DJ only knows show tunes, and the best man's toast almost triggers an annulment -- but you end up having a decent time anyway.
If 27 Dresses were part of a wedding reception, it wouldn't be the bouquet toss, but it wouldn't be the Chicken Dance, either. It's more like the cake: mass-produced, maybe a little too sweet but enjoyable all the same.
Expect Heigl to vie with Reese Witherspoon and Kate Hudson for the plumb Everywoman roles.
The trouble isn't that you can see exactly where this is going, but that none of the possibilities are anything other than clichéd
They’re no Hepburn and Tracy, but Heigl -- her quivering double chin a welcome sight in a profession of dangerously low BMI -- and Marsden skillfully find the believable traits in their characters and turn them into some semblance of adults.
A forgettable, formulaic comedy so predictable that seeing it and skipping it are the exact same thing.
27 Dresses is an illustration of what can result when the filmmakers possess a solid understanding of the romantic comedy formula and decide never to stray from it by one iota.
27 Dresses is so chock full of romantic-comedy clichés, it almost plays like a parody.
Frilly testament to the romantic secondary and homage to the nice girls who don't always finish last.
Thanks to Katherine Heigl, this formulaic and saccharine sweet romantic comedy is more palatable than its predictable script and cardboard characters suggest. But I am disappointed in the film, which starts with a flourish, but fizzles into mediocrity.
Agonizing, flaccid, and about as romantic as bottle of flat champagne 27 Dresses is a perfect example of the stereotypical Hollywood romantic comedies that Judd Apatow's 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up successfully disemboweled.
Doesn't pretend to be something more than a fun movie for women, as it offers a lighter look at romance and relationships without ever getting preachy or anti-male.
Its supposed feminism never gets past advocating a woman's right to literally chase after her dreamboat to ensure the attainment of her own perfect moment at the altar.
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