“Rachel Getting Married” is about pain, love, hatred, laughter, anger and, ultimately, hope. It is an examination of family relationships, warts and all, that pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the end credits roll. Jonathan Demme’s tale is about Kym (Anne Hathaway), a junkie who leaves nine months of rehab to attend the wedding of her older sister, Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt). A junkie since her teens, Kym has been clean for months, but sobriety has not changed her basic personality. She’s a narcissist whose father (Bill Irwin) encourages her belief that the world revolves around her. So it’s no surprise that she throws a temper tantrum when she discovers that Rachel has chosen her best friend to be her maid of honor instead of Kym. And later at the rehearsal dinner, Kym can’t stand not being in the spotlight, even if it’s a negative one. Although she is self-centered, Kym also harbors deep pain and guilt that she has not been able to allay. And this comes to the forefront when Kym has a violent confrontation with her mother (Debra Winger).
Anne Hathaway gives a complete, adult performance. Kym isn’t likeable; she’s mean, spiteful and self-absorbed, but we also see her pain. She effectively capture’s Kym’s highs and lows, her desperate need for forgiveness and to forgive herself. Hopefully, Rosemarie DeWitt’s performance as the resentful Rachel won’t be lost in the attention Hathaway is getting. Demme obviously challenged her to hold her own against the acerbic Kym and she does. “Rachel Getting Married is a must see movie. However, I have one criticism. In an effort to give the film an intimate, home-movie feel, Demme uses a jittery hand-held camera. This may not bother some, but for others, it’s hard to watch. 10/5/08
1 comment:
I think the blogger here has captured the essence of "Rachel" very well!! The very fragile "Kym" (Anne Hathaway) is a role destined to be an Oscar contender next year for sure. Kym is a very neurotic girl and a product of a neurotic family and one can see where Kym's problems begin and end. Kym's dad (Bill Erwin) is one of those "push-over" types who can't say no to his daughters and her mother (Debra Winger) is a self-absorbed person who has long since stopped being a mom when Kym needed her most.
If you see the film keep an eye on the girl who plays Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt). She does an excellent job and may also be Oscar-worthy.
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