The Online Reflector

By Kim O’Brien, Staff Writer

Anyone who has taken a long-range road trip with a map in tow knows where “27 Dresses” is going to end. Each road is clearly planned, and each turn is seen long before the destination is reached.

Anyone who’s been on a road trip also knows that just because you know how long it will take and what will happen, that doesn’t make it any less delightful.

“27 Dresses” opens with two little girls at a wedding. We know, beyond a doubt, that the quiet and composed one will save the day. Katherine Heigl’s (“Grey’s Anatomy”) voiceover confirms this. She knew her life’s mission when she was eight.

At the other end of this flashback, our heroine, Jane, is all grown up and fulfilling her life’s mission as a bridesmaid. Obviously the guy who islooking at her during the wedding will eventually become an important player. These are the key points to any romantic comedy: Girl meets boy, girl and boy spend a long time fighting what the audience probably knows, and then all turns out fine in the end.

The bend in the formula for “27 Dresses” comes with Jane and the sister Tess (Malin Akerman of “The Heartbreak Kid”) first seen at the wedding. Jane is in love with her boss George (Edward Burns of “Saving Private Ryan”), and just when she decides to make a move, her sister does instead.

George’s and Tess’s relationship progresses in no time. Jane never says anything about her feelings for George or the fact that Tess has been lying about many things in their relationship. She never says anything because she is the one who always takes care of everyone else. She’s the bridesmaid in her own life.

The guy seen at the wedding eventually does reveal himself as Kevin (James Marsden of “X-Men”), a writer for the commitments section of the fictional New York Journal. While his job is to go to weddings and write about the stories behind them, he sees the entire page as an excuse to sell advertising. He desperately wants to get out of the section and write what he sees as real stories.

Marsden turns his long history of playing the supporting role into a believable leading role. Kevin is truly a cynic for a reason that is revealed in a scene that’s so short you may just miss it, but that reason makes him all the more likable. In the beginning, he seems to be using Jane for personal gain, but remember what kind of movie this is before you jump to any conclusions.

Akerman’s character is, at first, hilarious. She’s a welcome change from perfect Jane. She says what she thinks and sticks up for herself. She quickly becomes annoying, however, and almost a flat, stock character designed purely to be Jane’s opposite. Just when Tess gets too annoying, we get one of the movie’s few twists, and it’s just too good to reveal here.

Honestly, it’s a little hard to imagine someone who looks like Katherine Heigl having as much trouble finding love as Jane does. This is a failing of most romantic comedies. It’s difficult to think any woman capable of being a leading lady wouldn’t be with the man already. Her likability, however, is what carries this through, and despite the mistakes Jane made, I genuinely wanted her to come out on top.

The destination is never in question, and we know exactly how we’re going to get there. There are a few bumps along the road, but even those are delightful. Still, “27 Dresses” is filled with just enough substance and just enough fluff to make it worth watching.

If you’re a romantic comedy fan, you’ll probably enjoy this movie.

Otherwise, don’t expect any deep philosophies on life. Even though it’s just sugar and ceremony, it’s the perfect movie for anyone who’s ever felt a little left out.