{{short description|2008 film by Anne Fletcher}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = 27 Dresses | image = Twenty seven dresses.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | alt = A woman standing against a white background in a long white dress, which is patterned with lines of black text, and the title "27 Dresses" in a large splash of pink text | director = Anne Fletcher | producer = Gary Barber<br />Roger Birnbaum<br />Jonathan Glickman | writer = Aline Brosh McKenna | starring = {{Plainlist| * Katherine Heigl * James Marsden * Malin Åkerman * Judy Greer * Edward Burns }} | music = Randy Edelman | cinematography = Peter James | editing = Priscilla Nedd-Friendly | studio = {{Plainlist| * Fox 2000 Pictures * Spyglass Entertainment * Dune Entertainment }} | distributor = 20th Century Fox | released = {{Film date|2008|01|10|Australia|2008|01|18|United States}} | runtime = 111 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $30 million<ref name="numbers">{{cite web |title=27 Dresses (2008) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/27-Dresses#tab=summary |website=The Numbers }}</ref> | gross = $162.7 million<ref name="mojo" /> }} '''''27 Dresses''''' is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Aline Brosh McKenna. It stars Katherine Heigl, with James Marsden, Edward Burns, Malin Akerman, and Judy Greer in supporting roles.
Produced by Spyglass Entertainment and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the film was conceived following the success of McKenna's screenplay for ''The Devil Wears Prada'' (2006). Principal photography took place in New York City and Rhode Island from May to July 2007.
After Jane Nichols has been a bridesmaid 27 times, she reaches a turning point when her younger sister Tess swoops by her work one day, capturing the attention of her boss George, whom Jane secretly loves, and rapidly becoming engaged to him.
''27 Dresses'' premiered in Los Angeles on January 9, 2008, and was released theatrically in the United States on January 18. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Heigl's performance and criticism of its formulaic plot. It was a commercial success, grossing $162.7 million worldwide against a $30 million budget.
==Plot== <!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summary should be between 400 to 700 words. --> From age eight, Jane Nichols felt destined to help weddings run smoothly. Shortly after her mother's passing, she helps a bride with a crisis before her wedding ceremony and is hooked. Jane loves weddings, and especially looks forward to her own.
Two decades later, Jane has been a bridesmaid at 27 weddings, putting other’s needs ahead of her own. One evening she crosses the city continuously to attend two weddings simultaneously. Jane ends up meeting Kevin Doyle, who shares her cab. He is a cynical writer who disdains the romantic ideals she embraces. She accidentally leaves her Filofax day planner behind, which Kevin uses to research her.
Writing under the pseudonym "Malcolm," Kevin sees Jane as a potential subject for a story. He pitches it as a cover story to his editor, for the Commitments section. Kevin is promised a promotion to features if the article is worthy for the section's front page.
At work, Jane's boss George returns from a climbing trip and Jane barely hides her crush. Her friend and coworker Casey slaps her to wipe the goofy look off her face. Jane's unspoken feelings for George are obvious to everyone but him.
Jane's man-crazy younger sister Tess returns from a six-month European tour. They talk about their parents' wedding briefly after Tess sees articles written by Malcolm, whose writing Jane loves. Tess arrives to Jane's workmate's engagement party, before Jane can declare her feelings to George. The younger sister catches his eye and they spend the evening together.
Kevin shows up, revealing the flowers Jane had received were from him. She releases her frustration elsewhere, recomposing herself. Kevin returns her planner, then offers to buy Jane a drink, but she declines. Tess pumps Jane for information about George, who gushes about him with many details. Armed with this, she pretends to share George's interests, such as being a vegetarian, an outdoors person and liking dogs. They spend lots of time together, and quickly become engaged.
Tess and George go to the sisters' father Hal's to give him their news, who happily gives her their mother's wedding dress. Jane, though heartbroken, agrees. Seeking a sympathetic ear, she contacts Kevin, who coaches her on how to say no, as she does not want to plan the wedding. Nonetheless, Jane gets roped into the planning. As Tess is sharing her ideas, model-like bridesmaids, a funny slideshow, she reintroduces her to The Boathouse. Jane is floored, as it is her dream wedding venue, being where their parents' wed.
Right after Jane successfully convinces a busy baker to create a masterpiece cake for the wedding in three-weeks, Malcolm Doyle introduces himself. Shocked, she calls him an "asshole". Kevin explains he uses the pseudonym for anonymity. Appalled, Jane asks him which is his true self, the eloquent wedding writer or the cynic, and he asserts it is the latter. Kevin invites himself to Jane's apartment, supposedly for his article on Tess and George's wedding. Upon entering, he sees the closet bursting with bridesmaid dresses. So, Jane does an impromptu fashion show of all 27, which Kevin photographs. She explains the bride's happiness is paramount, so she is always amiable.
Kevin continues researching Jane, while concealing his goal to write about her. During the process, they bond. Though Kevin develops genuine feelings for her, his article is published without her knowledge and before he can warn her. Jane discovers the piece, feels betrayed and ends their relationship.
Meanwhile, Tess's deceptions also begin to unravel. She drastically alters their late mother's wedding dress, prompting a rift with Jane. At Tess's engagement party, Jane retaliates by showing a slide show, exposing Tess's fabrications. When George sees Tess's dishonesty and manipulation, including paying his young mentee to clean, he cancels the wedding.
At work, George compliments Jane for her reliability, echoing Kevin's remark that she never says no. Realizing her motivations have been driven by unrequited love, Jane quits. After kissing George briefly, she acknowledges her feelings for him have faded. She later finds Kevin at another wedding and declares her love.
One year later, Jane and Kevin marry in a beach ceremony. All 27 brides for whom Jane previously stood serve as bridesmaids, each wearing the dress Jane wore at their weddings.
==Cast== {{Cast listing| * Katherine Heigl as Jane Nichols ** Peyton List as young Jane Nichols * James Marsden as Kevin "Malcolm" Doyle * Malin Åkerman as Tess Nichols ** Charli Barcena as young Tess Nichols * Judy Greer as Casey * Melora Hardin as Maureen * Brian Kerwin as Hal Nichols * Maulik Pancholy as Trent * Edward Burns as George * David Castro as Pedro * Krysten Ritter as Gina * Jane Pfitsch as Cousin Lisa * Michael Ziegfeld as Khaleel * Ronald Guttman as Antoine * Jennifer Lim as Salesgirl * Bern Cohen as Rabbi * Ron Simons as Boathouse Chef * Robert Clohessy as Bartender * Michael Mosley as Bar Dude * Jennifer Bassey as Aunt * Alexa Havins as Boat Bride }}
==Production== Principal photography for ''27 Dresses'' began on May 10, 2007, with filming taking place primarily in Rhode Island. Notable locations included the Rosecliff and Marble House mansions in Newport, a beach in Charlestown, and sites in East Greenwich and Providence. Additional filming occurred over a two-week period in New York City.<ref name="Production Notes">{{cite web |title=Film > 27 Dresses – Production Notes |url=http://www.kheigl.com/press/27-dresses-production-notes/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101073902/http://www.kheigl.com/press/27-dresses-production-notes/ |archive-date=2011-11-01 |access-date=March 1, 2022 |publisher=Kheigl.com}}</ref>
Costume design was led by Catherine Marie Thomas. Director Anne Fletcher requested that the bridesmaid dresses be "big, ugly, and bright," representing a wide range of color palettes and styles. Thomas designed approximately fifty potential dresses and a few suits, from which she and Fletcher selected twenty-seven to feature in the film.<ref>{{cite web |date=10 January 2008 |title="27 Dresses" a costume designer's dream |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-dresses-idUSN1063667120080110 |website=Reuters}}</ref>
==Release== [[File:Katherine Heigl at 27 Dresses Premiere 16.jpg|thumb|Katherine Heigl at the film's premiere in Westwood, Los Angeles|alt=Heigl in a grey and silver dress, behind her several women wearing the same white dress from the film poster]]
===Box office=== ''27 Dresses'' was released theatrically in the United States on January 18, 2008. It opened at number two at the North American box office, earning $23 million in its opening weekend, behind ''Cloverfield''. The film went on to gross $76.8 million in North America and $85.8 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $162.7 million against a production budget of $30 million.<ref name="mojo">{{cite web |title=27 Dresses |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=27dresses.htm |work=Box Office Mojo}}</ref>
According to ''BoxOfficeGuru.com'', the film's audience was predominantly female, with studio research indicating that 75 percent of viewers were women. The demographic was otherwise evenly divided between viewers over and under the age of 25.<ref>{{cite web |author=Gitesh Pandya |title=Weekend Box Office (January 18 - 21, 2008) |url=http://www.boxofficeguru.com/012108.htm}}</ref>
=== Critical response === {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|40|5|154|The filmmakers perfectly follow the well-worn romantic comedy formula, rendering ''27 Dresses'' clichéd and mostly forgettable.|access-date=February 25, 2024|ref=yes}} {{Metacritic film prose|47|31|ref=yes|access-date=November 15, 2009}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Joshua Rich |date=January 23, 2008 |title=''Cloverfield'' sets box office records |url=https://ew.com/article/2008/01/23/cloverfield-sets-box-office-records/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |quote=Its crowd (which was a whopping 87 percent female) was doubly charmed, granting the romantic comedy a respectable B+ CinemaScore mark.}}</ref>
Cath Clarke of ''The Guardian'' criticized the film for underutilizing Katherine Heigl’s comedic abilities, writing, "What a maddening waste of Heigl this insipid romantic comedy is." Clarke felt the script missed an opportunity for satire within the Manhattan wedding scene.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clarke |first=Cath |date=March 28, 2008 |title=27 Dresses |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/mar/28/comedy.romance |access-date=April 16, 2018 |work=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref> Peter Howell of the ''Toronto Star'' wrote that the film "shamelessly trades in the hoariest of chick-flick clichés" and faulted screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna for relying on "cheap gags" rather than the incisive wit found in her earlier work, ''The Devil Wears Prada'' (2006).<ref>{{cite web |last=Howell |first=Peter |date=January 18, 2008 |title='27 Dresses': Comedy left at the altar |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2008/01/18/27_dresses_comedy_left_at_the_altar.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208223635/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2008/01/18/27_dresses_comedy_left_at_the_altar.html |archive-date=2017-12-08 |access-date=April 16, 2020 |work=Toronto Star |publisher=Torstar Media Group}}</ref>
== Accolades ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ ! Award ! Date of ceremony ! Category ! Recipient(s) ! Result ! {{Ref heading}} |- |Artios Awards |November 10, 2008 |Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Studio Feature - Comedy |Cathy Sandrich Gelfond and Amanda Mackey |{{Nominated}} |<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 Artios Awards |url=https://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/2008 |access-date=2023-11-13 |website=www.castingsociety.com |language=en}}</ref> |- |People's Choice Awards |January 7, 2009 |Favorite Comedy Movie | rowspan="2" |''27 Dresses'' |{{Won}} |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-10-27 |title=People's Choice Awards Nominees & Winners:2009 - PeoplesChoice.com |url=http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=2009 |access-date=2023-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027004716/http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=2009 |archive-date=2009-10-27 }}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |Teen Choice Awards | rowspan="2" |August 4, 2008 |Choice Movie: Chick Flick |{{Won}} |<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Derrik |date=4 August 2008 |title=2008 Teen Choice Awards |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/teen-choice-awards/news-story/3dfddab41d9be0b81316f618afe51a90 |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)}}</ref> |- |Choice Movie Actor: Comedy |James Marsden (also for ''Enchanted'') |{{Nominated}} |<ref>{{Cite web |title=FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |url=http://www.teenchoiceawards.com/pressreleases/TC08_pr01.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205170601/http://www.teenchoiceawards.com/pressreleases/TC08_pr01.pdf |archive-date=2009-02-05 |access-date=2023-11-13}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" |Golden Trailer Awards | rowspan="3" |May 8, 2008 |Best Romance | rowspan="2" |''27 Dresses'' |{{Nominated}} | rowspan="3" |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-08-06 |title=Golden Trailer Awards |url=http://www.goldentrailer.com/awards.gta9.php |access-date=2023-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806233526/http://www.goldentrailer.com/awards.gta9.php |archive-date=2011-08-06 }}</ref> |- |Best Romance Poster |{{Won}} |- |Best Romance TV Spot |''27 Dresses'' – "Invite Event" |{{Won}} |- |Alliance of Women Film Journalists |December 15, 2008 |Hall of Shame |''27 Dresses'' |{{Won}} |<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 EDA Awards Nominees – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS |url=https://awfj.org/eda-awards-2/2008-eda-awards-nominees/ |access-date=2023-11-13 |language=en-US}}</ref> |}
==Soundtrack== The film features an original score composed by Randy Edelman. In addition to the score, ''27 Dresses'' includes numerous contemporary songs by other artists, which are used throughout the film. However, these tracks are not included on the official soundtrack release, which contains only Edelman's original compositions.
<!-- See Template:Track listing to improve this section --> {{Div col}} * "Born to Fight" – Tracy Chapman * "Peace Train" – Cat Stevens * "Valerie" - Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse * "I Don't Want to Be" – Gavin DeGraw * "Over and Over" – Tim McGraw * "Anticipation" – Carly Simon * "Change of Heart" – Cyndi Lauper * "Cherry-Coloured Funk" – Cocteau Twins * "Who Knows" – Natasha Bedingfield * "Unfair" – Josh Kelley * "Hips Don't Lie" – Shakira * "Lady West" – Jamie Scott and The Town * "The Sky Is Crying" – Albert King * "Freckle Song" – Chuck Prophet * "Anna" – Bad Company * "Bennie and the Jets" – Elton John * "Under The Influence" – James Morrison * "Happy Together" – The Turtles * "Big Bounce" – Dick Lemaine * "So Here We Are" – Bloc Party * "Love Has Fallen On Me" – Chaka Khan * "Be Here Now" – Ray LaMontagne * "Like a Star" – Corinne Bailey Rae * "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" - Michael Jackson {{Div col end}}
== Home media == ''27 Dresses'' was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on April 29, 2008.<ref name="numbers" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{wikiquote}} * {{IMDb title|0988595}} <!-- Please note WP:EL and try to include links as inline references where possible. --> * {{cite web | url = https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=32044 | title = DVD Talk discusses Katherine Heigl's performance in ''27 Dresses'' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917101637/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/32044/27-dresses/ |archive-date=2015-09-17 |url-status=dead }}
{{Anne Fletcher}} {{Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Romance}}
Category:2008 films Category:2008 romantic comedy films Category:2008 English-language films Category:20th Century Fox films Category:American romantic comedy films Category:Dune Entertainment films Category:Films about dresses Category:Films about sisters Category:Films about weddings in the United States Category:Films directed by Anne Fletcher Category:Films produced by Roger Birnbaum Category:Films scored by Randy Edelman Category:Films set in New York City Category:Films shot in New York City Category:Films shot in Rhode Island Category:Films with screenplays by Aline Brosh McKenna Category:Spyglass Entertainment films Category:2008 American films Category:English-language romantic comedy films Category:Teen Choice Award–winning films