Rachel Getting Married Review
Posted by Erik Luers on 10.12.2008
or, A Long Day's Journey Into Matrimony......
Jonathan Demme's new drama, Rachel Getting Married, is that special film which rarely hits a wrong note. Played out as if one were watching an extensive, weekend long wedding video, Demme creates an entire world of colorful characters that fill the screen with charm, wit and palpable emotion. They are the guests at the party, racing around each corner of the frame, some noticed from a far and others from right there up front. Throughout the two hours, we'll get to meet most of them and befriend a few quite easily. Sure, we won't have much time to converse but we know these types/traits quite well from our own families and friends. Demme and screenwriter Jenny Lumet (Sidney's daughter) know these people and open them up to us; we too are the final guests on Rachel's list.
To say the film focuses on one particular person wouldn't be doing the piece much justice, but in a way, this is Kym (Anne Hathaway) and Rachel's (Rosemarie DeWitt) story. These are sisters who have been through a lot of tough and tragic times, with Kym being addicted to various hard drugs, and Rachel (as a result of Kym's actions) being neglected or passed over by her parents. Kym was always the troubled one, becoming addicted to anything she could get her hands on. One night, while babysitting her younger brother Ethan, she got so stoned out of her mind that she unintentionally killed him, causing him to drown as she was too unkempt to protect him after a childish game gone awry. She has lived with immense guilt since that night and perhaps Rachel quietly despises her for the accident. Maybe her entire family does.
Their parents, Paul (Bill Irwin) and Abby (Debra Winger) were divorced soon after, as the tragedy proved to open up new wounds and greater resentment towards one another. Abby cannot look at Kym when asked why she thought it was okay to leave her son alone with an unstable teenage girl. She thought it would be all right, Abby responds. The film doesn't justify its characters actions but it doesn't excuse them either. The mother was foolish for trusting Kym to watch over Ethan, yes, but what can be done about that now? That's a key theme in the film: forgiveness and the letting go of the tragedies of the past. In rehab, Kym is secluded and alone; she is locked away, repenting for her sins. This weekend however, past issues will resurface and bring a family closer together, at least for this brief period of time.
Demme allows this talented ensemble cast to shine. Since the camera is often so tight on his actor's faces, each thespian subtly conveys their characters' full range of emotions with very little dialogue at their disposal. The viewer has to look for someone to look at as cinematographer Declan Quinn doesn't play favorites by placing the "lead" characters at the center of the screen. We'll see Kym contemplating speeches given by her Addict Counselors and we'll catch glimpses of Kym quite upset at a dinner party a few nights before the wedding, feeling more distant and shunned than ever before.
If we look closely, we'll see Paul's smiles getting wider and wider as the friction and chaos mounts. He is trying desperately to keep the peace within his family, even when he sees it drifting away like it had when Ethan passed on. As Rachel and Kym verbally abuse each other, Paul is always there with a phony optimistic outlook; it's his silent plea to start over and rid the family of its ugly past. Demme was wise in casting such an expressive, wide-eyed actor like Irwin (an accomplished physical comedian and Tony-winning actor in his own right) to play Paul, as he must simultaneously be over the top with happiness while subconsciously fearful of his family's deteriorating cohesiveness. Just wait till you see him react to the news that he's going to be a grandfather. He is so happy (and so relieved) that the news came at a time when Kym and Rachel were verbally attacking one another that you'll laugh at his enthusiasm, while being angered with Rachel announcing the news at such an inappropriate time. In many ways, Rachel's announcement is a glorified cop-out, a throw in the towel moment that makes Kym and the viewer even more frustrated and upset. Whenever the truth is close to coming out, someone always hushes it away (the inclusion of Ethan's dinner plate in the dish washing scene, for example).
Much has already been said about Anne Hathaway and her Oscar caliber work here. The hype is well deserved. When she delivers her speech to the bride and groom early in the film at the before mentioned dinner party, Hathaway's Kym rambles one and on about her own misfortunes, stealing the spotlight from her sister. Hathaway pulls off this monologue well. It's humorous and quite poignant; Kym is desperate to make amends, but as for what she's not really sure. There's also nice interaction between Hathway and Winger. When Abby shows up for dinner, she's more concerned with whether or not Kym is allowed to have a cigarette in the establishment, and less concerned with greeting and hugging her children. Also, the scene in which mother and daughter discuss Ethan's death features the two actresses at the top of their game. What easily could have become a melodramatic, teary eyed free for all, is reigned in by the two women's honed skills and acute understanding for their characters' various truths and agendas. When the fists start flying, the actions become organic, and it doesn't feel forced or put on display as a How To: Stage Combat demonstration. It feels real and raw.
Demme has long favored being a documentary filmmaker (his last two subjects were Jimmy Carter and Neil Young, respectively) and it shows (and works) well here. The unpolished camera work isn't gimmicky or obtrusive; it merely feels like an exercise in cinema verite filmmaking. When Kym first enters her home and goes upstairs to her bedroom, the camera tracks behind her from a very low angle, about an inch or two above the floorboards, and a viewer may be confused as to why this extended shot is necessary. Well, for one, it gives off a sense that the sequence was unrehearsed or perhaps even unplanned. The camera doesn't know where Kym will go to next, but the viewer will be right there behind her. We keep an eye out on her just in case she decides to burn the house down (which she has done in the past as a result of a pesky mattress fire).
When we see Sidney (the fiance)'s brother filming certain segments of the festivities on his camcorder, Demme intersperses this footage with cinematographer Quinn's shots. It adds to the realism on display thanks to the camera work. Demme has recently said that he wanted to make another fictional film free from the extensive dolly and crane shots expected with many big studio productions. He uses his custom, gritty verite style of filmmaking to make Rachel Getting Married a very unique piece.
Rachel Getting Married is one of the best films of the year. Although it isn't flawless (some may be put off by the overlong musical numbers and plethora of congratulatory speeches given at the reception, but to each his own), the film really achieves something special. The performances are restrained and grounded, and the direction by Demme achieves the nearly impossible: it appears effortless. For a film so off the cuff and lingering, Rachel Getting Married is a masterful achievement in capturing the human nature of the beast. We see this family with their problems as if through a microscope and indeed, that microscope is the camera's lens. You know, sometimes it's better not to turn away.
The 411: As soon as this film came to a close, I wanted to see it again (It may be the type of film that benefits from a second or third viewing). The last film I've felt that way about was last year's There Will Be Blood, a mere ten months ago. This film is the real deal. The more observant the viewer, the more likely one is to to appreciate the fine details throughout this film; it requires great attention and patience. Demme and his cast and crew really get this one right. Rachel Getting Married is one of the best films of 2008.
