Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008)

[suresh]

Saw it last weekend. Anne Hathaway, my children's favourite actress is now one of my favourites as well.    DeWitt was also brilliant. And I absolutely loved no one in the movie mentioning the guy being black.
A nice story of pain, attempts at redemption.. real stuff..

[X.]

And I absolutely loved no one in the movie mentioning the guy being black.

Good observation. This racial sensitivity comes from the writer Jenny Lumet (daughter of the famous director Sidney Lumet) whose father is white and mother black.

[ozzylogic]

Acquired the kff, shall give it a watch.

[fizz]

Rachel Getting Married is one of the most immersive movies of the last year. It takes its time, then sucks you in. The entire movie plays out like a wedding video that you've stumbled on, from the observations of life, sibling rivalry, dysfunctional family dynamic and secrets buried in the past. What I liked most about the film is that it was nothing more than 5 or 6 extended sequences each of which ended on a note of irony or revelation (everything from the wedding rehearsal to the family cheering the dad while he works the dishwasher had a clever way of turning into something else). A film that clearly flows very well from start to finish.

[ayaa1977]

For about the first 15 minutes of Rachel Getting Married after meeting Kim you hate this self centered recovering addict. She is a total bitch who can't get enough time in the spotlight, and steal her sister's night. But then Kim goes to her first AA meeting, and from there on you can see that perhaps Kim is not a total lost cause after all. Now we don't hate her as much, in fact we have new found sympathy for her.

Now back at home, the perfect bride, Rachel, the good daughter, and understanding supporting sister, is fed up with her sister's pathetic attempts of getting attention. The mask is off now and under all this ideal act ,Rachel is just as vain and bitchy as the next person. She has the world, a loving fiancé, a baby in the way, it is her wedding day, people admiration and love, and happiness is all around. But that is not enough, all she can think of is her father's vigilant attention to her addicted sister, and why can't he give her as much care and stop defending her fragile junkie sister.

Rachel Getting Married is a beautiful film about sisterhood, forgiveness and redemption. It is really moving without being sentimental and tear jerking. The acting was great across the board. Bill Irwin's performance is amazing as Paul the father who, despite his continuous grief for the tragic consequences of his daughter's addiction on his family, chose to protect and support her. While Debra Winger steal her a few scene as the selfish mother who elected to check out of engaging her daughters, and taking responsibility of their well being.

Now to the two main characters. So much was said about Rosemary Dewitt's performance as Rachel and how was she the best thing about the film, and don't get me wrong, she gave a great performance, a solid and subtle one for a role that requires her to keep her dignity and calmness. She only deliver her off remarks and anger toward her sister occasionally, or leave the dirty work for her henchwoman. But the real star is Anne Heathway as Kim, she is marvelous. The lost soul who after all this time seeks her mother's love and attention, but alas her mother is gone. She knows that but she can't let go. It is a heartbreaking performance, and I totally understand why she got that Oscar nomination now, it is not because she got the showy part and her tantrum throwing scenes, it is because the silence sadness that she conveys in her eyes. In a heartbreaking AA scene she says: " And sometimes I don't want to believe in a God that could forgive me", and I can't see how can anyone not love embrace and forgive her after that. 

The rest of the film was well made, except for the annoying extended multi cultural wedding, which was a snooze. The shaky camera documentary style is totally appropriate for the film material, and in after awhile it stops annoying you. The life band music added to film and made it the more realistic. It was in fact a well written well directed small film.

Rachel Getting Married  is now one of my top 10 films of 2008, and Anne Heathway is my favorite female performance of that year taking over Cate Blanchet's turn in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". I give it 4/5.

[kaytee]

This was a solid emotional movie with excellent performances from Anne and Rosemarie. One of the better movies of 2008.

[animatedude]

i could argue that this the most annoying pathetic superficial movie ever made made about stupid middle class white family but i can't be arsed.


BOYCOTTTTTT!

[shariqq]

Nobody left to boycott it.

[madali]

Rachel Getting Married (Jonathan Demme, 2008)

Kym leaves rehab for the weekend to go back home and attend her sister's wedding. You know what's going to happen. Lots of family drama, tears, the past rehashed, fights, and hugs. Some love this kind of movie, and I sometimes do, but from past experience, I have realized, I like it more when it's from non-American country. Not sure the reason exactly, maybe it's just that I'm not interested in American families. Unless they are CANNIBAL HILLBILLY AMERICAN FAMILIES. Then it's good. I like that.

But in "Rachel Getting Married", there are no cannibal elements. There is only Kym and Rachel's relationship with each other, their relationship with their parents, and their relationship with others.

If everyone in the film would shut the fuck up and start eating each other, then it would have immensely improved the film.

2/5