Sony Pictures Classics

Written By: Jenny Lumet

Anchored by an astonishing, career-defining performance by Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married” is at times uncomfortable to watch and yet a completely absorbing experience. Directed with a stripped down and independent approach, there are times when “Rachel Getting Married” has the look and feel of a documentary or home video, which adds a realness to the film that is quite affecting.

Hathaway is Kym, an addict now 9-months sober, who has been released from inpatient rehab just in time to head home for her sister Rachel’s wedding. With the wedding taking place at the family residence in a few short days, Kym is dropped right into the middle of busy wedding preparations, two families meeting for the first time, wedding planners, musicians, caterers, etc. The sea of people known and unknown immediately overwhelms Kym and everyone soon anticipates the raging storm about to hit landfall at any moment.

Anne Hathaway’s Kym is unlike anything Hathaway has brought to the big screen previously. Always engaging in the past, Hathaway digs deep to bring forth a wounded, fragile, insanely smart, manipulative firebrand, who is equally as combustible and destructible from one moment to the next. Every moment she is on screen, the intensity is ratcheted up with fear of what she might do next. Echoed perfectly by her fellow castmates, the sense of anxiety surrounding Kym is palpable and real. To Director Jonathan Demme’s credit, Hathaway is anchored just right and her enigmatic performance doesn’t dominate or even threaten to take over the film. The supporting cast members play off of her performance beautifully, including Rosemarie Dewitt as Rachel, the disheartened sister, who at one point asks her father, with equal tones of shame and desperation if she can have just one day.

The film draws you in with a strong sense of realism. Demme mixes conventional shot composition with scattershot handheld moments and the effect is a combination of scripted fiction, observational documentary style and moments found in reality television. With a large ensemble of actors who might be familiar, but not quickly recognizable, the film is allowed to hit heights and score moments that big name casts rarely achieve. Jenny Lumet’s script naturally deserves a large amount of praise as well. While there are moments near the film’s end that ring hollow and seem a bit forced, the sum of the entire work is strong and Lumet’s first screenplay carries so many big scenes, that you can forgive its small missteps.

“Rachel Getting Married” is at times an admittedly tough watch, as we all have a Kym or two in our family. The film soars on tapping into that uneasiness we have all dealt with in dealing with the family member, close or distant, who renders everyone uncomfortable. Like Kym’s family, you try and you struggle and you love and you attempt to understand unconditionally. Seeing that effectively portrayed in this work of fiction is a powerful experience and “Rachel Getting Married” resonates long after the film’s credits fade away.

• Best Actress In A Leading Role (Anne Hathaway)
  

Should I See It?

YES

To witness a career-defining Anne Hathaway performance.

“Rachel…” is presented in an observational way, allowing you to absorb what’s happening rather than have it force-fed.

The best acting always occurs when you forget you are watching actors reciting a script, “Rachel…” has many of these moments.

NO

There are long scenes, which for some will slow the film down and seem drawn out.

The film has a stutter-step pacing at times, where tense moments are followed by slower, more drawn out moments. I would expect that this could frustrate viewers who like something even paced.

The subject matter has some heavy and affecting moments, and is quite dramatic. This is not light entertainment, despite its title.