Rachel Getting Married is a film by Oscar-winning director, Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs), starring Anne Hathaway and Rosemarie DeWitt. The lead pair are sisters with a history of sibling rivalry. Hathaway plays Kym, who has just been through a serious stint at rehab, while DeWitt is Rachel, her older sister who is about to be married. The two have excellent chemistry, which translates into a shared history - and they even look related. The casting was key in this relationship and Rosemarie DeWitt’s talents as an actress are brought to light in this career-defining performance. Hathaway is also excellent as she weaves a troubled 20-something, whose only consistency is a commitment to self-preservation.
Rachel Getting Married is filmed in a loose handheld camera style, which gives the movie a heightened realism. It often feels like the audience is an extended part of the family, viewing a semi-professional wedding video in retrospect. The mood is taut, as Rachel’s special day becomes more about her sister than her. The two compete for their father’s attention, while issues from the past seem to breach in the midst of all the final wedding preparations. This isn’t a comedy, and Demme’s darker projects seem to taint the air.
Rachel Getting Married has hints of Margot at the Wedding in terms of its Americana, sibling rivalry, cynicism and dysfunction. However, it also brings the acclaimed Monsoon Wedding to the table in terms of the actual wedding, decor, real-life drama and festivities. It’s a mish-mash of the two, and one can see that Jenny Lumet’s debut and Demme’s foray into romance are both influenced by these genre entries. These parallels are injected with a clash of John Lennon in the international, peace-loving, restlessness of the background music and themes.
The wedding video concept is fantastic, and Demme captures the spirit of wedding jitters and familial rifts. This is the perfect environment for emotion to flourish and the drama benefits as a result. Hathaway and DeWitt are near-perfect as sisters. The script has an unscripted feel, despite all the outbursts. Although, it would’ve been interesting to see Rachel Getting Married written by Tamara Jenkins (The Savages). The tense, prickly moments need some release and a dab of off-beat comedy, would have been great. The only criticism of Rachel Getting Married is that it’s jaded. Most scenes tend to end on a sour or depressing note and there’s no upliftment factor for the audience. The rain in Monsoon Wedding was a cleansing and rejuvenating moment that was just simply beautiful. However, Demme’s version dips and doesn’t seem to release the tension with a cathartic shower. The film is immersive and humane, but its spotlight on dysfunction is as intense as burning ants with a magnifying glass.
The bottom line: Engrossing.
