Katherine Heigl (Knocked Up) puts in another charming performance in 27 Dresses, a romantic comedy about a serial bridesmaid. Just as Jane plucks up the courage to approach her beloved boss George (Edward Burns) her sexy sister Tess (Malin Akerman) snags him. Journalist Kevin (James Marsden) is waiting in the wings, but he's on the sneaky side. Which is Mr Right? It doesn't feel like a pressing question, but there are laughs and cute moments along the way.
In a chart of wedding rom coms of all time, 27 Dresses would fall comfortably in the middle 鈥 somewhere below Wedding Crashers and above Wedding Daze. It's the sort of comforting chick flick that gets you through a flight to Greece. Heigl is eminently likeable as the bright, sharp-witted but downtrodden Jane, and sparks fly when she and James Marsden share the screen. The humour's lively and just irreverent enough to make you laugh without offending your mum.
"A SPOT-ON FEMALE LEAD WOMEN CAN RELATE TO"
The trouble is, it's never clear if Edward Burns' George is meant to be quite as dull as he appears 鈥 or whom anyone in the film is destined to be with, for that matter. Instead of making the story suspenseful, this makes it hard to get emotionally involved with: you're not always rooting for characters to get it together. Played for laughs, 27 Dresses is a sweet, fairly smart comedy with a spot-on female lead that women can relate to. Just don't expect to be swooning over the romantic storyline.
27 Dresses is out in the UK on 27th March 2008.