Happy Saturday, friends! May the joy of the weekend keep you from counting off one-year milestones of lasts.
I somehow missed two high-profile additions to VOD yesterday — the newly minted Golden Globe winner The Mauritanian and Robin Wright’s feature directorial debut Land. Neither is worth spending $20 on.
I know we’re all exhausted hearing about the evolving science of masks, but this CBS Sunday Morning segment from last week provided me a lot of clarity and is worth a watch:
Finally, for my Houston peeps out there (or people who care about Houston still having an indie movie theater) … we’ve got March to save the River Oaks Theatre! I’m writing elected officials about it, and you should do too. There are more details, including a form letter, on their website.
Now, what you came for…
DAY 359: 27 Dresses (available on HBO Max)
It’s a shame the industry essentially ran Katherine Heigl out of Hollywood because at a time when romantic comedies were at their zenith, she was actually really great at being in them. (Even though she hates it, yes, Knocked Up is absolutely a rom-com.) I know the arguments against 27 Dresses as a piece of pure formula. I simply choose not to care because it’s executed with such a fun-loving spirit.
Unlike many films in the genre, which struggle to articulate why a gorgeous A-list actress would be unlucky in love, 27 Dresses hinges its entire plot around the struggles of Heigl’s Jane. She’s the bridesmaid every woman wants at her wedding, a selfless friend willing to devote practically her entire life to ensure they have the perfect day. But that selflessness provides a convenient shield for her own romantic insecurities — because she’s so busy planning the nuptials of her girlfriends, she never has to talk about the lack of her own.
That all changes when Jane gets pushed to a breaking point following the arrival of her free-wheeling sister Tess (Malin Akerman) rolls into town. She instantly captures the eye and heart of Jane’s boss — and erstwhile longtime crush from afar — George (Edward Burns). The rubber of her lofty ideals meets the road as she’s forced to plan the wedding for her sister that she fantasized about having for herself. And all the while, she’s tormented by the nagging presence of cynical wedding beat reporter Kevin (James Marsden) who calls out the madness of her marital obsession.
Though it hits the beats you expect and want, I find 27 Dresses full of introspection and interrogation that few other films in the genre attempt. I give credit to screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, who also gave us the gift that is The Devil Wears Prada. I think it’s actually really smart about the perpetual bridesmaid character that’s so often reduced to a supporting character or punchline. (Speaking of … pull up Judy Greer, who of course is in this movie.) The film gives us all the pleasures of the rom-com — HELLO, the epic “Bennie & the Jets” singalong at the bar — with just enough of a twist to make it a memorable outing.
Be good to yourselves and to each other,
Marshall