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"27 Dresses" a bad fit for Katherine Heigl

justingirl1989 — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 09:08:46 -0800

By Michael Rechtshaffen

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Having nicely established her big-screen credibility with the summer hit "Knocked Up," Katherine Heigl tries a little further "Grey's Anatomy" moonlighting on for size with "27 Dresses."

But while Heigl is terrific, this uninspired romantic comedy is considerably less so.

A tired pastiche of the 27-odd wedding-themed vehicles that preceded it, the film essentially slaps together all the stuff that worked so well the first or second time around, minus any of the original charm or verve.

That it manages to function at all is mainly Heigl's doing, but judging from the half-empty theater reserved for the picture's post-Christmas sneak preview, even her fans might get the sense that they've walked down this aisle many times before.

Heigl's not-so-plain Jane is the owner of those 27 dresses -- a perennial bridesmaid who has kept all of them, no matter how hideous -- squished into the closet of her already-cramped New York apartment with the hope of one day being the main attraction.

She has always been there for her friends and longtime boss (Edward Burns), for whom she has harbored an unrequited crush, but her charitable instincts are about to be put to the supreme test when her bratty, globetrotting kid sister (Malin Akerman) comes to town and proceeds to strike up an instant love connection with said employer.

Meanwhile, Jane also has been fending off the perpetual advances of a cynical writer (James Marsden), who, unbeknown to her, pens those Commitment columns in the New York Journal, which she has been secretly clipping out for years.

Will Jane finally find happiness with the right guy or is she destined for Bridesmaid's Dress No. 28? Does the devil wear Prada?
It so happens that the person responsible for the "27 Dresses" script is none other than "The Devil Wears Prada" screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, but in fashion world parlance, this one's a shameless knockoff.

Jerky boss? Check. Sardonic best friend? Check (played by Judy Greer). Scene in which everybody takes part in an impromptu golden oldie sing-along? Check. (Here it's Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets.")

Just as McKenna's script brings absolutely nothing new to the wedding movie table, matters aren't helped any by Anne Fletcher's flat, pedestrian direction. The former choreographer who made her directorial debut with the inner-city dance drama "Step Up," fails to lend this New York story (filmed extensively in Rhode Island) a much-needed visual shot of vitality.

While Peter James' camera clearly loves Heigl and the actress looks to have a promising motion picture career ahead of her, "27 Dresses," with its recycled sentiments and empty gestures, won't be the one to build on that "Knocked Up" momentum.

Here, she and Marsden do what they can to work with a chemistry that feels dictated rather than organic, but at the end of the day, they're hopelessly stuck with hand-me-down material that is really beginning to look and feel its age.

Cast:

Jane: Katherine Heigl

Kevin: James Marsden

Tess: Malin Akerman
Casey: Judy Greer

George: Edward Burns

Hal: Brian Kerwin

Director: Anne Fletcher; Screenwriter: Aline Brosh McKenna; Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Jonathan Glickman; Executive producers: Bobby Newmyer, Becki Cross Trujillo, Michael Mayer, Erin Stam; Director of photography: Peter James; Production designer: Shepherd Frankel; Music: Randy Edelman; Costume designer: Catherine Marie Thomas; Editor: Priscilla Nedd Friendly.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

source: reuters.com

27 Dresses

Emma412 — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:33:02 -0700

I just saw '27 Dresses' with Katherine Heigl and James Marsden. It's about Jane (Heigl) who has been a bridesmaid 27 times, because she loves helping her friends plan their weddings and lets face it she has a hard time saying no. When she's about to be a bridesmaid for the 28th time, on her sister's wedding, her positive attitude starts to turn. Her sister is marrying Jane's boss George, the man Jane has been madly in love with since she started working for him, and keeping her feelings to herslef is harder than she expected.

It was pretty good. Predictable as every other romantic comedy I've ever seen, but still enjoyable. Though I can't really stand Malin Åkerman, who played Jane's sister in the movie. I don't think she's too good of an actress. But the other cast-members did a good job.

"27 Dresses" a costume designer's dream

justingirl1989 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:31:05 -0800

By Leslie Simmons

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas has fashioned a career out of creating memorable styles for films, from fitting Uma Thurman in her yellow leather biker outfit for "Kill Bill-Vol. 1" to creating shiny, lacy country get-ups for Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep in "A Prairie Home Companion."

For Fox's January 18 release "27 Dresses," Thomas had to find 27 unique bridesmaid dresses for the film's star, Katherine Heigl, who plays Jane, a perennial bridal attendant whose own happy ending seems nowhere in sight.

Thomas and her team of designers scanned books, thrift stores, eBay and catalogs and listened to dozens of bridesmaid horror stories to draw inspiration.

"I've been really lucky," Thomas says. "I have only been a bridesmaid three times, and I don't have any nightmare stories. But I know a lot of people who do, and I've talked a lot about weddings and bridesmaids with them -- about the bride's personal tastes and her implications on the bridesmaid for good or bad."

Director Anne Fletcher worked closely with Thomas in finding the perfect dresses. Some of the dresses were scripted, from the over-the-top plantation wedding to one couple doing their nuptials underwater.

"I basically just told her I want them big, ugly and bright -- every color palette, every style," Fletcher says. "It was a costumer's dream. You have to get the ugliest things, and you don't have to be fashion-forward."

In the end, 50 dresses were candidates for the film, and Fletcher and Thomas had meetings to whittle that down to the 27.

"We just sat there and laughed and tried to figure out which ones worked," Fletcher says
The biggest hurdle was making the dresses look somewhat unflattering on Heigl.

"No matter what the dress was, she still looked beautiful," Fletcher says. "So we'd just add more flowers, more tulle, a hat."

Or, a big Elvis-styled collar in the case of the first satiny lilac bridesmaid dress audiences see Heigl wearing in the film.

"When she put it on, it was scary," Fletcher says. "It looked like something off the red carpet."

The final 27 dresses are Heigl's silent but visually loud co-stars. Many of the gowns took on their own lives and names, like Heigl's favorite, a yellow silk "Gone With the Wind" plantation-style gown, featuring orange flowers and ribbon lacing and accessorized with a straw bonnet, a white lace parasol and bright yellow heels.

"I think that was a combination of both someone from the South and a huge 'Gone With the Wind' fan and Vivien Leigh fan who had this fantasy since she was a little girl to be married in that scenario," Thomas says of the bride who would have her bridesmaids wear elaborate hoop skirts and bonnets.

"When I was designing the dresses, I tried to shelve my personal tastes and put myself in the position of the (bride) character," she adds. "We really wanted to have a spectrum of color and shape."

Among the cast of characters: the bright yellow "Peep's Dress," named after the popular marshmallow Easter candy; "The Green Goblin," a shiny, long putrid green dress that flared out at the bottom; a pale pink "New Year's" dress with tuxedo buttons and ruffles; and Fletcher's fave, a hot pink, ruffled "Bahama Mama," a real bridesmaid dress Thomas scored off the Internet.

"It's like a 6-year-old's birthday cake," Fletcher says.
For Thomas, she doesn't pick favorites. The dresses are like her kids.

"For me, the big payoff is the last scene of the movie, seeing them all together and seeing them as one," she says. "It was a pretty amazing moment -- kind of a Fellini movie mixed with a romantic comedy."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

source: reuters.com

Katherine Heigl wants off Grey’s Anatomy (possible spoilers)

justingirl1989 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:47:10 -0800

Katherine Heigl is anxious to continue her film career and doesn’t want to be tied to the role that made her famous, Dr. Izzie Stevens on the hit show Grey’s Anatomy. - possible spoiler alert -

Word has it that Heigl has asked producers to kill her off her character on the show because she doesn’t want to be known as just a television star, and wants to break into movies full time.

After starring in the hit films Knocked Up and 27 Dresses, Katherine believes she has outgrown the small screen - and her agent is working overtime so she can devote herself full time to movies, sources say.

“Katherine has even suggested to ‘Grey’s’ producers that they kill her character Dr. Izzie Stevens in dramatic fashion so her exit could bring in huge ratings,” a pal of the 29-year-old Emmy winner told The Enquirer. Newly married to rocker Josh Kelley and riding high on her box-office appeal, Katherine has formed a production company with her mother Nancy, whos her manager, and she’s being swamped with movie offers, said the pal.

But leaving “Grey’s Will be an uphill battle because her contract with Touchstone and ABC is ironclad for the next two years, according to another source. [From The National Enquirer, print edition, March 10, 2008]

The article goes on to say that Heigl might have to fight this out in court if producers don’t agree to let her out of her contract. You can see her trying to do this, and given all the stories that have come out about the fighting and sniping on the Grey’s set, it’s probably not the easiest place to work. Heigl said earlier that she didn’t know where producers were going with the series and called her character Izzie’s storyline a “ratings ploy.”

Heigl was really nervous as a presenter at the Oscars and her voice was shaking and cracking. She said afterwards that she felt out of her league and like a fan rather than someone who belonged there. “It was kind of surreal. I just felt very out of my league, you know? I was sitting behind Cate Blanchett and Jack Nicholson and sitting next to Renee Zellweger. I kind of wanted to get out my iPhone and take pictures.”

She’s explaining why she was nervous, and that’s nice I guess, especially considering how much smack she normally talks whenever she has an audience. I think she’s full of herself and courts the paparazzi too much. Other people like her because she’s so outspoken, but she shares too much for my tastes.

Splash had some photos of the police arriving at Heigl and her new husband Josh Kelly’s house on Tuesday. A neighbor had called them because he was sick of the paparazzi hanging around outside all the time.

source: celebtichy.com

NY Magazine lashes out at Katherine Heigl

justingirl1989 — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:32:25 -0700

New York Magazine TV writer Emma Rosenblum has, in her words, “surprisingly strong feelings” about the recent Katherine Heigl Emmy brouhaha. We offered her space to give Heigl a little bit of career advice.

Dear Katherine (Kate? Katie?),

So you’ve acted out once again (no pun intended!). You’ve withdrawn your name from Emmy eligibility, because, in your words, ”I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.” And now you’ve started a fight with the writers of Grey’s Anatomy. Their feelings are hurt, Katie: “It’s an ungrateful slap in the face,” one show insider told EW. You actually won the Emmy for supporting actress last year, which was really so lovely for you. So why, this year, are you so sure your material doesn’t even warrant a nomination? Let’s think.

Okay, Heigl, we agree that Izzie’s story lines have become increasingly marginal and unbelievable. Lately, everyone on the show seems to think that Izzie’s completely irritating. So do we! We actually groan aloud when your perky face appears onscreen! There’s a theory we have about this, Katherine, so listen closely. Have you ever thought that maybe the writers are incorporating your own personality into that of your character? Because we read a lot of women’s magazine and gossip sites, and we think we kind of know you at this point. And guess what? You’re totally annoying and self-righteous, just like Izzie!

Of course, we, too, were offended by Isaiah Washington. He called your on- and-off-screen best friend, T.R. Knight, a faggot, and that’s just uncalled for. You established yourself as Knight’s defender and kept speaking to the press about how Washington should be fired. So we guess that’s nice of you and all, but you really should have let your friend fight his own battle. You ended up looking pretty darn priggish.

And then (and then!) you called your own hit movie, Knocked Up, “a little sexist.” You have a right to your opinion, and we might even agree with you. But you were Apatow’s first choice for that movie, you did it, you made lots of money, and it made you a certified movie star. What possessed you to bash it? Do you think you’re above the work that you do? It was a comedy, and you profited tremendously. You’re no Streep, honey, and even she does Abba with a smile.

Now we’re going to throw you a bone: We think you’re a talented comedic actress. That’s right, your timing is much better than most, and you have a goofy onscreen persona that combines nicely with your California-girl looks. Plus, My Father the Hero was one of our favorite movies growing up, so we’ll always have a soft spot for you, Heig-y. Though last week, in a dark moment, we watched 27 Dresses on demand. Now that was a case of writers messing up your material.

So please take our advice. Grey’s Anatomy is a soap opera. Get off your high horse, missy. You talk all about the integrity of the Academy? Ha! You know they’re giving an Emmy to a reality-TV show host this year, right? Stop pissing off your writers and directors and castmates. We want to like you, Katherine, really. Please stop making it so hard to do so.

Warmest regards,
Emma Rosenblum

amen

http://icydk.com/2008/06/16/ny-magazine-lashes-out-at-katherine-heigl/

Is Katherine Heigl leaving Grey’s Anatomy?

justingirl1989 — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:56:59 -0700

weeks after “Grey’s Anatomy” returned with new episodes, sources are saying Katherine Heigl is itching to hang up her scrubs. “She’s working really long hours and is ready to move on,” a source close to the actress told Us Weekly.

Fifteen months ago, Heigl renegotiated her “Grey’s” contract. The net result from that: Because the negotiations went public and she got the raise she wanted from the show, Heigl proved she wasn’t about to become an of-the-moment primetime star. Additionally, Heigl has had tremendous big-screen success with her leading roles in “Knocked Up” and “27 Dresses.”

“She’s a smart one. She saw what can happen with someone like Jennifer Aniston, who was crazy successful on TV, but can’t seem to carry a film, and she tested the waters early,” said a movie industry source.

Even so, Heigl might be locked into “Grey’s” a bit longer. “I don’t think she’ll be able to get out of it,” the US source said of Heigl’s contract.
http://icydk.com/

Katherine Heigl & Josh Kelly: In Negotiations for Kids

justingirl1989 — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:19:03 -0700

It's been three months since her Christmas-themed wedding in Park City, Utah, and Katherine Heigl can't stop singing the praises of her new husband, musician Josh Kelley.

"He was everything I was looking for, or needed or wanted in my life," the 27 Dresses star told Britain's Sunday Times. "He's just so easy to be around. He lightens up the room and lightens my load."

In fact, the 29-year-old Grey's Anatomy star already has babies on the brain. "I think he'd prefer to wait a little more time, but I kind of wouldn't," she told the paper, adding that it would be "foolish" to waste their current career opportunities. "I think we'll meet somewhere in the middle."

When it comes to maintaining her famous figure, Heigl relies on that same spirit of compromise. "I've just discovered if I don't eat bread or pasta, my stomach doesn't feel so bloated all the time," she said. "I try to eat healthy, but I think if you cut out every wonderful thing you love, what's the point? I'd rather feel sick."

Overcoming Family Tragedy
Heigl may seem to have it all these days – a rock-star hubby, a hit TV series and comparisons to America's Sweetheart Julia Roberts. ("I can’t help but feel that's a little insulting to Julia Roberts," she joked to the Times.) But her life wasn't always so picture perfect.

When she was only 7, her older brother Jason died from injuries he sustained when he was thrown from the back of a pickup truck.

"For a long time, [Jason's death] made me afraid of being too happy because things happen so unexpectedly," she said. "Your world can change and every aspect of your life is different."

In fact, Heigl said, she's still learning to let down her defenses. "[His death] made me afraid when good things happen. It made me brace against it that little bit," she explained. "I'm trying hard not to do that any more. It doesn't make something terrible easier – and I don't want to waste my happiness."

source: people.com

Katherine Heigl: "I Always Tell It Like It Is"

justingirl1989 — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:57:57 -0800

Katherine Heigl isn't one for keeping her opinions to herself.

The feisty actress, 29, dubbed her flick Knocked Up "a little sexist," called her Grey's Anatomy character a "ratings ploy," defended T.R. Knight against Isaiah Washington and now says she may skip the Golden Globes if the writers' strike doesn't end.

"I always tell it like it is," she said at a screening for her new comedy 27 Dresses (out January 11) in Beverly Hills Friday.

Still, she added, "you kind of pick and choose your moments to be brutally honest."

"I think most women have been in the position of being a real people pleaser at one time or another in their lives. I kind of got over that in my early 20s."

"I just sort of think if you couch what you feel too often, you're not really being true to yourself," Heigl said.

Heigl will marry singer Josh Kelley, 27, on December 23. T.R. Knight will be her bridesman

source: usmagazine.com

Katherine Heigl Feels Sorry for Paps

justingirl1989 — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:58:01 -0800

'27 Dresses' star Katherine Heigl says she feels sorry for the dozens of paparazzi's that camp outside her house and follow her around all day because she's so boring.

She says: "The paparazzi are a whole new deal to me. It started slowly, I'd see one or two every once in a while and then one day after the Emmys there were 20.

"I was like 'Arrrrgh!' I feel guilty, though, because I never do anything interesting and they've waited outside my house all day....I often complain about people moaning about the paparazzi because if you want the money you make and the big movie roles, then it's the price you have to pay."

So there you have it, being boring doesn't guarantee privacy. Whether your flashing your crotch like Britney or boring like Katherine, those pesky paps just won't go away!

whatevs katherine..whatevs.

source: hollyscoop.com

Katherine Heigl: I'd Like to Start a Family Within the Next Year

justingirl1989 — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:32:48 -0800

Following her winter wonderland wedding to musician Josh Kelley, Katherine Heigl says the next step for her is starting a family.

She and Kelley hit the L.A. premiere of her new comedy 27 Dresses Monday.

"I would like to start a family within the next year to year in a half," she told Usmagazine.com as she rubbed her stomach. (Heigl also has expressed interest in adopting.)

As for the wedding, she told Us: "It was truly amazing I think the best part about it was all the friends and family, the love and the show of support."

She wed Kelley in a black-tie ceremony December 23 at the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah.

"I wish I could have the first three days prior to the wedding back - they went by really fast," she added. "Everyone said, 'Enjoy, be in the moment.' I did all of that."

source: usmagazine.com