Rachel Getting Married

What it's about:

The young, beautifully tortured Kym (Anne Hathaway) is a recovering drug addict who is released from rehab for the weekend to attend the wedding of her older, more sensible sister Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt). Long-festering family anguish and resentment bubbles to the surface as Kym's abrasive personality and recklessness threatens to derail her sister's nuptials, while her long-suffering father Paul (Bill Irwin) and estranged mother Abby (Debra Winger) attempt to keep the peace. Will the weekend do more harm than good for Kym's fragile sobriety? And what is the deep, painful secret that her family is harbouring?


What we thought of it:

There's low-key in a Woody Allen, bare-bones production value sort of way. And then there's Jonathan Demme's - so low-key it's almost documentary-style, as is clearly evident searingly tragic family story of Rachel Getting Married. This deliberate styling is all done with the greatest love and respect for the characters and the script, written by legendary Sidney Lumet's daughter, Jenny.

Anyone looking for a sprightly wedding procedural drama with the ensuing comedy of errors and last-minute, cold feet conflicts should just back away now. Rachel is as far away from that that as you can imagine, focusing rather on the sometimes scathing, always frank interpersonal relationships between the members of a strange and dysfunctional family and its extensions.

Kym's parents are long-divorced and have both since moved on to what appear to be better and more stable second marriages. Rachel is the oldest child who has somehow managed to be the glue that holds them all together, but the return of her attention-grabbing (and attention-seeking) younger sister exposes the imbalance of consideration being given to the two sisters by their good-natured, if slightly naïve father.

And who can blame the parent, really? Kym is the classic, youngest child screw-up – damaged, needy and charismatic, where Rachel seems to have never demanded anything of anyone, and has to watch as Kym steals the show. One particular scene, rich with bonhomie and colour (among many depicting the warm familial comfort amongst the wedding party) shows Kym taking the microphone during wedding rehearsal dinner speeches and finding a way to make the celebration all about her. There's just no escaping Kym's kryptonite-like charm – it's her weakness, but also the reason why everyone loves her, despite themselves.

The weekend's festivities, filled with heartfelt tributes to the happy couple (Rachel's other half is played by TV on the Radio frontman Tunde Adebimpe), a dishwasher-loading contest, heart-rending confessionals and musical interludes from the ever-present wedding band, is shot with such a languid, intimate style, you'll start to feel like a fly on the wall, intruding on the characters' deepest confidences. It's a kind of voyeurism that nonetheless feels organic and rather lovely.

None of this would be as effectively affecting as it is, were it not for the heart-stoppingly raw and sincere performances from the cast. Hathaway's Oscar nomination for her role is not only deserved, it's a crying shame she did not win (yes, Kate Winslet was long overdue – but still). Her portrayal of Kym is pulled from an otherwise untapped reserve of vitriol and bitterness that is as compelling to watch as it is painful in its honesty.

Equally deserving of acclaim are the women who play her sister and mother. DeWitt and Winger are able to convey a restraint in their words and actions that only highlights the aching behind their eyes. A marvel to behold, if you don’t mind dramatic performances that don't work overly hard to manipulate your feelings.

A must-watch for connoisseurs of finely tuned performances, richly rewarding storytelling, and bold depiction of family dysfunction that speaks of the kind of love you just don't see conveyed on screen with this level of authenticity.