Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl featured in a romantic comedy during her time on the popular medical series, which was panned by critics.
While she was portraying Izzie Stevens on the Shondaland show, Heigl appeared in several films throughout the 2000s that were critically slammed but still managed to charm her fanbase. One such film is 27 Dresses, now available to stream at no cost on BBC iPlayer.
The 2008 rom-com features Heigl as Jane Nichols, a woman who has been a bridesmaid 27 times. Her commitment is put to the test when her sister gets engaged to the man Jane secretly loves and asks her to organise the wedding.
Despite a stellar cast including Judy Greer, James Marsden, and Malin Akerman, the film failed to impress the critics, earning a dismal 40 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where it was labelled “clichéd and mostly forgettable.”
Some viewers shared the critics’ sentiments, with one lamenting: “Terrible! This movie came on tv and I suffered through the whole thing 🙁 the acting was terrible and I knew the entire ending of the movie after the first two minutes! Don’t watch if you have anything better to do,” reports Surrey Live.
Despite the poor reviews, 27 Dresses holds a special place in the hearts of many rom-com enthusiasts.
Overflowing with affection, one Rotten Tomatoes enthusiast exclaimed: “LOVE LOVE LOVE. This movie is so good! AHHH. It’s one of those movies where it just makes you giddy inside. The romance is so cute and ugh I just love it. It gives me butterflies while watching this film.”
Another avid viewer heaped accolades on the early 2000s rom-com, declaring on Google Reviews: “This is one of the best romantic comedies I have ever seen in my entire life because it portrays that out-of-the-blue romance picture perfectly.
“I must say if you’re looking for a light-hearted, goofy, well-written, character-driven movie, then this is for you!”
However, not all reviews were as glowing; a third critic shared their lukewarm thoughts: “This movie was a nice love story but nothing to rave about that badly.
“I liked it as a romantic comedy but it needed to have slightly more comedy for it to be totally good for me.”
The 2008 film was crafted under the directorial guidance of Anne Fletcher, renowned for her work on The Proposal, alongside the esteemed BAFTA laureate scribe Aline Brosh McKenna, celebrated for her script of The Devil Wears Prada.
27 Dresses is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.