Quick Film Notes: 27 Dresses

I was sheepish about suggesting this fluffy chick flick for this week's meeting of our Mom's Movie Club. After all, the last few films we saw were serious Oscar contenders -- so serious, that we were all in agreement that this time, we wanted something light for a change.

But I haven't seen a decent romantic comedy since Love, Actually and have been wondering if filmmakers have lost their ability to create charming love stories. And sure enough, the reviews of 27 Dresses have been so mediocre, that I was certain it wouldn't be worth our time.

This time, the critics are wrong. Sure, the film is formulaic -- it's a Romantic Comedy, so it follows the timeworn formula of Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Girl, Boy Gets Girl. That's the whole point. The question is, how do the filmmakers execute the formula? And the truth is, in 27 Dresses, they've done it very well, beginning with the opening scenes, where we are introduced to Jane (Katherine Heigl), a woman who loves weddings so much that she agrees to be a bridesmaid 27 times (hence all those frilly dresses hanging in her closet)... but she's so shy and afraid of a relationship that she's never revealed her true feelings for the man she's secretly loved for years.

That's an absurd proposition, and the filmmakers are smart enough to know we know that -- but they give her a backstory that makes it almost believable. The only part I can't wrap myself around is the notion that a knockout like Heigl would go unnoticed by her clueless boss (Ed Burns). Then again, since no one makes movies like this with unattractive people, it goes without saying that this genre requires a certain amount of suspension of disbelief.

It's also hard to understand how Jane can't seem to notice how attractive James Marsden is as Kevin Doyle, the Boy who meets her, loses her and gets her in the end. As it is, I'm trying to figure out how I never noticed him until this year, as Corny Collins in Hairspray and the Prince in Enchanted. With his first real star turn in this film, I don't think anyone will fail to notice him again. He is perfect as a cynical reporter who is stuck writing romantic dreck for his paper's "Commitments" page, and his scenes with Heigl sizzle with true chemistry. (He even gets to demonstrate some of those singing chops he exhibited in his last two movies.)

Forget the professional critics. If you, like me, have been starved for a good rom-com, this is the movie you've been waiting for.

Comments

[M&Co.]

And could the 13 year old in my life go see it with me?

[Donna]

That depends upon what you and your 13-year-old are comfortable with.

I wasn't watching the film with an eye towards what is appropriate for family viewing. Off the top of my head:

The film is rated PG-13. There is no nudity nor is there any violence.

There is some salty language. A couple of secondary characters sleep around (off screen) and advocate that Jane try that, too.

Jane and Kevin get extremely drunk in a bar and the audience understands that they end up making love in a car.

The rest of it is pretty tame. And very cute.