Untitled Document
Like a horse that stumbles badly out of the gate,
rights itself, and unexpectedly wins the race, Anne Fletcher’s 27 Dresses recovers from
a clumsy first act to deliver a surprisingly entertaining romantic comedy.
As is the case with most movies of this sort, the success or failure of
such a venture relies on the chemistry of the couple in question, and
Fletcher is fortunate to have Katherine Heigl and James Marsden in her
corner. Generating sparks during their initial antagonistic meetings, then
flames once they succumb to their attraction, this duo is so good together
that they make us overlook the film’s conventional plot and numerous
holes. They have us rooting for their characters to get together, even
though we know all along that they will. The film begins poorly with an implausible and
awkwardly rendered sequence that finds Jane (Heigl) running across
Manhattan to be a bridesmaid in two simultaneous weddings. This is our
first indication that this amiable young lady can’t say no to anyone
and that she’s living vicariously through other brides because she
has yet to find her own Mr. Right. She thinks he might be George (Edward
Burns), her dreamy, environmentally conscious boss, who runs his own
corporation. Unfortunately, he sees her as his Girl Friday and nothing
more, and adding insult to injury, he falls head over heels for
Jane’s younger sister Tess (Malin Akerman), who just happens to be
visiting. Making things worse, Jane is being hounded by Kevin (James
Marsden), who met her during the night of the dual weddings, found her
personal planner in the cab they shared, and, noting that her summer is
filled with one matrimonial event after another, decided to pop up at these
occasions and observe her. What Jane doesn’t know is that he’s
a writer for a major newspaper and is stuck in the Commitments department,
which covers the poshest weddings of the season, and wants to write an
article on her wedding addiction. Obviously the script, by Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada), is
more than a little top-heavy in its first act, and that accounts for a good
deal of the film’s initial awkwardness. Throw in the fact that Kevin
writes under a pseudonym and that Jane happens to love his columns but
doesn’t realize that they’re written by the guy she loathes,
and the movie comes off as being constructed on a collection of
manipulative and insulting plot points — that is, until Jane and
Kevin have their first honest conversation, over a drink. From that moment
on the movie assumes a charming tone and builds on it as Fletcher and
McKenna are able to put the screwball-comedy conventions behind them and
concentrate on the characters, who wind up being more complex, vulnerable,
and sympathetic than first impressions would lead us to believe. Heigl puts aside her more irritating Grey’s Anatomy mannerisms here and seems to revel Jane’s insecurities and her
romantic hopes and dreams. Initially the character comes off as a pushover
and a deluded romantic to boot, but the actress is able to convince us of
the character’s inner strength and, more important, that she’s
grown over the course of the film into a confident young woman who’s
ready for a healthy adult relationship. Given the opportunity to step out
of the shadows, Marsden takes full advantage and nearly steals the film.
Playing second banana in X-Men, The Notebook, and Superman Returns, the actor has shown in Enchanted and here that he’s more than capable of
carrying a film alone. Charming and full of humor, Marsden’s able to
convince us that beneath Kevin’s cynical demeanor lies the heart of a
romantic; he’s also able to portray a young man who slowly realizes
that he’s falling in love despite his cautiousness. Although it would be a mistake to mention 27 Dresses in the same breath
as When Harry Met Sally or other classics of the genre, the film proves a passable
piece of light entertainment and a nice showcase for two amiable
performances. With any luck some wise producer is paying attention and will
reunite Heigl and Marsden onscreen. A return engagement would get a prompt
R.S.V.P. from me.
This article appears in Jan 10-16, 2008.
