Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Jane (Katherine Heigl) symbolizes the hopes and dreams of every woman who longs for their wedding day in 27 Dresses. Stuffed into one of the closets of her New York apartment are the 27 dresses that she has worn while watching others celebrate their special day. Along the way, she has developed the penchant to be an organizer of all the stressful details of a wedding: invitations, dresses, cake decorators, registry lists, etc. As a result, she sets herself up as a martyr of sorts, constantly giving of herself and her time for the sake of someone else.

All the while, she harbors a secret crush on her boss George (Ed Burns) whom she also serves hand-and-foot without much reciprocation or appreciation. Judging by the plaintive sighs that heard from the seats around me, Jane is not alone in her ache for marriage. As a guy, this may sound akin to being in chick-flick hell—many times it is. However, there are a few redeeming qualities that make 27 Dresses bearable and, at times, even enjoyable.

James Marsden, who scored big last year in Hairspray and Enchanted, elevates himself to a starring role and charms in his role as newspaper columnist Kevin. Stuck with an uninspiring assignment of writing the weekly ‘Commitments’ column, Kevin has become cynical and hardhearted due to the overt commercialism and phony romanticism of weddings. Longing for something real and reflective of true commitment, he is intrigued by the sacrificial optimism that Jane represents. She, in cliched romantic comedy formula, sees nothing in him—of course, you know how this is going to end up!

Jane’s luck takes another hit when her bimbo baby-sister Tess (Malin Ackerman) shows up and immediately makes a bee-line for George. Under false pretense, Tess manages to quickly work her way into George’s life and they are soon engaged. Jane, once again, finds herself on the short end of the stick and, God forbid, adding one more dress to that overstuffed closet. The fact that it is her bratty, empty-headed sister and a man she has secretly loved for so long is too much to take. Angst, frustration, and desperation ensue as she balances duty, selflessness, and obligation against resentment and hopelessness.

Not too many comedic actresses could pull this off well. Heigl, her vulnerability and comedic timing sharpened by her recent turn in Knocked Up, does a terrific job with pretty tepid material. The unmistakable chemistry between Heigl and Marsden keep things interesting and watchable. Together they have a spark that is engaging. Director Anne Fletcher (Step Up) and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) also do a nice job with some clever montage shots of Jane modeling her 27 dresses and a deliver satisfying ending—even if it is totally predictable and rooted in hopeful fantasy.

27 Dresses, like weddings themselves, is all superficial and good-looking window-dressing compared to the serious subject of marriage. Much like Kevin, I can see with cynical eyes the problems with The Big Day. A wedding is not a commitment, and a lavish ceremony is not a precursor for wedded bliss. While some may long for the nuptials, the real work is in the years that follow. The fact that over fifty percent of marriages end in divorce is indicative of a deep-rooted problem that can’t be solved by over-the-top weddings. Do Kevin and Jane have a chance together as a couple after the ceremony ends, the honeymoon is over and all the guests have left? We’ll never know—if history is any indication the chances are 50/50.