27 DRESSES

Did another Thursday morning movie with "Macy" - we went to see 27 DRESSES. Everyone said, "That looks likes such a cute movie!" And it certainly was a cute idea for a storyline! But Macy and I both agreed that it didn't reach its full potential.

When you see the previews to a movie like this, you already know how it's gonna go - boy meets girl, they endure a bit of conflict, but by the end of the movie, you know you're gonna walk away smiling! And so it was for this movie. But still, even for a romantic comedy, it was lacking a bit in substance.

One of the biggest flaws was that there was NO chemistry between the two main characters, played by Katherine Heigl and James Marsden. They are both adorable - but nope, didn't feel it with them. I never felt "caught up" in their relationship - throughout the film, I felt fully aware that they were two actors acting.

Heigl plays a woman who LOVES weddings. She plans all her friends' weddings, engagement parties, etc. She also works as an assistant to the man she is in love with, played by Edward Burns. Marsden's character writes the wedding column for the New York City Journal. He writes under a pseudonym, of course, so when he and Heigl meet, she doesn't realize that he is her favorite columnist. Instead, he comes across as a guy who is cynical about the institution of marriage. Which of course, really annoys her! They meet at a wedding one night, share a cab, she drops her planner in the cab, he sees that her social life consists of nothing but weddings every weekend, and he gets an idea for an article for his column! Since he thinks she's kinda cute, he proceeds to pursue her. But she despises him! In the meantime, her sister (who's a model) waltzes into town and falls in love with the boss - the one that Heigl is secretly in love with - who also falls for her, and they get engaged. The story then continues with all the complications of those circumstances.

But it seemed that there was so many details to this story that much of the plot was diluted . Her relationship with her sister, for example. Their childhood and how they felt about each other as adults - all that history was explained too briefly - and the information always seemed "rushed" - as if had to be included - it didn't flow naturally. And her sister wasn't too likable, nor too hate-able - so you just don't know how to feel when she gets what's coming to her, or when they reconcile. Might have been better to have Burns fall in love with a stranger so that the complicated history of the sister relationship didn't have to be written in.

In addition, Heigl's disdain for Marsden felt "forced" - like it was necessary to have some sort of conflict leading up to the happy conclusion. Moments that could have really been dramatic - like when she realizes that this man she hates is really the writer she loves - seemed glossed over quickly and not very climactic. Another such moment was when he admits that the reason he is so bitter about marriage is because of his own experience. That could have been an emotionally charged moment - but the moment arrived, and then it left, with no lasting impact.

This is not to say that 27 DRESSES was terrible - It had its cute moments! Judy Greer plays a good character as Heigl's friend who "tells it like it is" (she plays a similar character in 13 GOING ON 30!). I did laugh a few times! The scene where Heigl tries on the 27 dresses is pretty cute. And the bar scene where they sing "Bennie and the Jets" is pretty funny! I wouldn't avoid 27 DRESSES, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it!