by Missy Thompson

CORRESPONDENT

It's a good thing Katherine Heigl got married last month, otherwise her marital status may have become a question with the release of her new romantic comedy "27 Dresses."

As much as I enjoy watching Heigl and believe she's a good actress, "27 Dresses" seemed more like an extended episode of "Grey's Anatomy" minus the scalpel but with, well, dresses. Now this isn't a bad film, but it definitely falls under the chick-flick category.

I think I expected a little more out of the movie, considering it was written by Aline Brosh McKenna, who penned the screenplay for "The Devil Wears Prada." There are moments of surprise where the acting and direction (from Anne Fletcher) come together and work well. But those scenes are too far and few between to make "27 Dresses" excellent.

The main problem with the film is that it makes some women out to be obsessed with weddings, which Heigl's character, Jane, flaunts to an extreme as the "always a bridesmaid never a bride" character. "27 Dresses" is filled with so many clichés and so much predictability that it's difficult to believe.

The one really funny part of the film comes when Jane drinks too much at a bar -- a scene reminiscent of her performance in "Knocked Up." She sings along to Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets" that blasts from the juke box in the bar. "Bennie and the Jets" is the type of song where it's difficult to understand the lyrics and Jane makes up her own lyrics.

In "27 Dresses," Jane has been a bridesmaid for 27 weddings, including two on the same night. This stems from a childhood fascination with weddings and the inability to say no to anyone. She works as a personal assistant at an eco-friendly company where she is secretly in love with her boss George (Edward Burns). She is also obsessed with the commitments writer at the New York Journal who writes about marriages and engagements in the city.

When Jane's younger sister Tess (Malin Ackerman) comes to visit and becomes involved with George, it's more than Jane can handle. Meanwhile Jane is being pseudo-stalked by Kevin (James Marsden), who happens to be the same guy who writes the commitments, under the pen name Malcolm. As Tess and George's relationship begins to blossom and it seems inevitable they will get married, Jane's jealousy over the torrid affair ripens. During Tess and George's rehearsal dinner, Jane shows that Tess has been lying to her betrothed since they began dating.

Unbeknownst to Jane, Kevin wants to move up from writing commitments and be a features writer. He discovers Jane's skeleton-filled closet, which happens to be jam packed with each dress she wore as a bridesmaid. Kevin proposes a profile on Jane to his boss, which is accepted and printed, causing a rift in any possible relationship Kevin thought they may have in the future.

Because Heigl is a star on the rise with the success of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Knocked Up," this may be regarded as a step backward in terms of proving her worth as an actress. While she is entertaining and funny -- to an extent -- "27 Dresses" is just another silly chick flick with only a handful of hilarious moments.

missy@tooeletranscript.com

Grade: C+

Rated: PG-13

Time: 107 minutes

Opens Friday