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Movie Description
After a detour into documentaries, Jonathan Demme directs this film about the changing family dynamics when a prodigal daughter returns. Anne Hathaway (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA) stars as the returning daughter, and multiple Oscar nominee Debra Winger and Tony winner Bill Irwin costar., Young fans of Anne Hathaway's previous roles in family films such as THE PRINCESS DIARIES and ELLA ENCHANTED probably wouldn't know what to make of her character in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Hathaway's Kym is a recovering drug addict who leaves rehab behind to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt, MAD MEN), but Kym's problems follow her home. Rachel cannot forgive or forget Kym's many drug-fuelled transgressions, and their father (Bill Irwin, LADY IN THE WATER) dotes on his returned daughter. As the wedding grows closer, the spotlight shifts from Rachel to Kym, much to the bride's irritation.
The alternately hilarious and heartbreaking dialogue in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED adeptly walks the line between wit and reality, giving audiences a picture of a family that feels entirely authentic. Before directing this indie-feeling drama, director Jonathan Demme spent time doing a few documentaries, such as THE AGRONOMIST, and JIMMY CARTER: MAN FROM PLAINS. These films seem like a departure from his normal oeuvre--including THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS--but they work as a bridge to RACHEL GETTING MARRIED. Demme chose to shoot this film with handheld cameras, lending it a naturalistic feel, as though a cameraman is simply shooting the family videos of a fascinatingly flawed group of people. The cast certainly deserves praise for the film's authenticity as well. Much has been made of Hathaway's masterly shedding of her usual roles to play the damaged Kym, but credit should also go to the other members of the cast, particularly Irwin as the too devoted father and DeWitt as the overlooked sister. Stories about dysfunctional families are nothing new in the world of cinema, but RACHEL GETTING MARRIED stands out thanks to its talented cast and excellent script from Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet (NETWORK).
Industry Reviews
3.5 stars out of 4 -- "[A] loose, lively, unhurried and unmissable gem....The acting is of the highest caliber. Winger, magnificent and too long between films, is a volcano of repressed anger."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (10/02/2008)
"It's a humorous and moving family drama, interspersed with plenty of stark realism....Hathaway is wonderful in the role. Her nervous laughter, edginess and quick temper blend convincingly with her need for attention and vulnerability."
USA Today - Claudia Puig (10/03/2008)
"It's a gratifying return to his independent film roots for Oscar-winning director Demme, a powerful screenwriting debut for Jenny Lumet, a Herculean job of hand-held cinematography by Declan Quinn and a career-changing performance by Anne Hathaway..."
Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (10/03/2008)
"[T]he wonderful thing about RACHEL GETTING MARRIED is how expansive it seems....it has an undeniable and authentic vitality, an exuberance of spirit, that feels welcome and rare."
New York Times - A. O. Scott (10/03/2008)
"[T]he script, by Jenny Lumet, is a fully woven web of love, jealousy, and enabling demons....A triumph -- Demme's finest work since THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and a movie that tingles with life." -- Grade: A
Entertainment Weekly - Owen Gleiberman (10/10/2008)
Ranked #9 in Rolling Stone's 'Movies Of The Year' -- "[The filmmakers] dig deep into the joy and pain of being part of a family."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (01/08/2008)
4 stars out of 5 -- "It has laughs, sadness, a handheld camera style, excellent music and a spiky, complex heroine....This is raw, intimate, vital drama, and Demme's best film since LAMBS."
Empire - Nick De Semlyen (02/01/2009)
Included in Entertainment Weekly's 2008 Films Of The Year -- "[Hathaway] does a study of toxic narcissism that marks her as the most vibrant actress of her generation."
Entertainment Weekly - Owen Gleiberman (12/26/2008)
4 stars out of 5 -- "[With] gut-kicking performances from a talented cast....All effectively observed by director Jonathan Demme's handheld camera."
Total Film - Jane Crowther (02/01/2009)
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