Wednesday, January 23, 2008

27 Dresses, or How shouldn't it be 27 Clichés?

I don't know why I'm in a list-making mood, but here goes my "review" of that new James Marsden/ Judy Greer movie (oh, yeah... that other girl is in it too)
I give you 27 Clichés (Spoilers Ahead)

1. Begins at a wedding (Well two weddings!)
2. Protagonist is in love with her unattainable boss.
3. Female protagonist at first hates and bickers with male interest (read: more bankable star)
4. Features a quick-witted assistant (Kudos to the casting agent for picking Judy though, she rocks: "That selfish whore! Oh... Namaste!"That and choosing James Marsden as charmer love-interest: sheer genius!)
5.
Comedy of Errors involving family member.
6. Features blond bimbo as a romantic antagonist.
7. An 'assignment' turns into something more...
8. Music montage with upbeat song of morning routine.
9. Cleaning as a coping mechanism.
10. Female protagonist is obsessive.
11. Male protagonist is both cocky and dreamy.
12. Eating as a coping mechanism.
13. Elaborate and completely unrealistic wedding proposal scene.
14. 'Your mother would have wanted you to have it...' gets uttered.
15. Female protagonist can't say "No"
16. A Wedding needs to be pulled off in no time.
17. It's heteronormative (Yes, that's a cliché in my mind)
18. Music montage featuring different outfits.
19. Fateful accident in rainy weather.
20. Protagonists share a common quirk.
21. Sing-along scene.
22. One of the leads screws up BIG.
23. Lessons are learnt. Characters 'find' themselves.
24. "I'm sorry" speech.
25. Cathartic scene underscored by emo song.
26. Public "I'm in love with you speech"
27. Ends at a Wedding.

Now, let's play mix-the-clichés (give or take a few... it's been a while since I've watched some of these)
My Best Friend's Wedding: 6+10+17+21+22+23+24+27
Runaway Bride: 1+3+7+11+16+17+22+23+24+27
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: 4+7+11+17+21+22+23+24+26
Sweet Home Alabama: 3+11+17+22+23+24
Love Actually: 3+7+13+17+22+23
The Devil Wears Prada: 4+8+17+18+22+23+24

2 comments:

Vance said...

Um, and all those cliches are bad?

I kinda LOVE those other movies you list.

mB said...

Oh, don't get me wrong - so do I. They just manage to make the clichés not seem like clichés at all, but actually serve the story.