DVD Review: 27 Dresses

DVD: 27 Dresses	On DVD:	April 29, 2008
Runtime: 107 minutes	In Theaters:	January 18, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, some innuendo and sexuality	Gecko Rating:

DVD Extras: Featurettes include “The Wedding Party,” “You’ll Never Wear That Again,” Jane’s World,” and “The Running of the Brides.” Deleted Scenes;  Inside Look at the upcoming movie, “What Happens in Vegas,” in theaters May 9, 2008.  

Review: I like Katherine Heigl. I really do. But this movie doesn’t even come close to her knock-out performance in last year’s Knocked Up, or even her sniveling Izzie Stevens character on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy.

In 27 Dresses, she plays Jane Nichols, a girl who’s completely romantic and idealistic, despite the fact that she’s been a bridesmaid 27 times – but never a bride. Yet she dutifully follows the bridal pages of the daily newspaper, clipping out favorite weddings and compiling ideas for her own wedding.

More after the jump!

Until that day arrives, Jane is happy to wear hideous bridesmaid’s dresses (they’re all stuffed into her closet, so much so that nothing else fits in there) and be the perfect attendant for all her friends. Until her younger sister, Tess (Malin Akerman), takes the plunge with Jane’s boss, George (Edward Burns), a guy whom Jane is secretly in love with – or so she thinks.

Jane gets stuck planning their wedding, which includes butting heads with cynical wedding photographer Kevin Doyle (James Marsden).

Ok, let’s recap here: sweet story, loveable main character, considerable talent in actors Marsden and Burns…so why doesn’t it work? Because it’s one big rom-com cliché after another, and you can see the plotline, the lines, even the requisite ‘drunken sing-along in the bar scene’ coming a mile away. Romantic comedies don’t have to be edgy, but they do have to bring something to the table we haven’t seen before. Something original. Some spark between the main characters. It’s not that hard, people.

PARENTS SHOULD KNOW: .Sexual innuendoes include kissing, making out (and more) in a car, and references to hooking up at weddings. Language includes “whore,” “sh**,” and “a**hole,” and the plot involves plenty of alcohol. And do we really need to be telling kids that you can’t be happy unless you’re a bride? That’s so 50 years ago.

Photo: Katherine Heigl, 27 Dresses, Fox 2000 Pictures, 2008