Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008)

NoirFan · 09-10-08, 12:56 AM

Anne Hathaway seems to be getting a bit of Oscar buzz over this one.

Quote:

"Rachel Getting Married" is a contemporary drama with an aggressive sense of humor about the return of an estranged daughter to the family home for her sister's wedding. Kym's (Hathaway) reemergence throws a wrench into the family dynamics, forcing long-simmering tensions to surface in ways both hilarious and heartbreaking. "Rachel Getting Married" paints a colorful, nuanced family portrait and is filled with the rich characters that have always been a hallmark of Jonathan Demme's films.

Trailer

Clip #1
Clip #2

Very positive Variety review.

Quote:

Brimming with energy, elan and the unpredictability of his "Something Wild," Jonathan Demme's triumphant "Rachel Getting Married" may just lay the wedding film to rest, being such a hard act to follow.

The Bus · 09-10-08, 09:38 AM

This looks pretty good.

The Bus · 10-20-08, 11:18 AM

Nobody's seen this? The showing I went to last night was absolutely packed and the audience reacted favorably.

I agree with them. I liked this film a lot although some parts of it were a bit confusing, possibly on purpose. For example:

Spoiler:

Recommended.

Tracer Bullet · 10-25-08, 04:51 PM

I saw this last night. I very much enjoyed it. Extremely well-done. Go see it.

SPiRAL · 10-26-08, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bus

Nobody's seen this? The showing I went to last night was absolutely packed and the audience reacted favorably.

I agree with them. I liked this film a lot although some parts of it were a bit confusing, possibly on purpose. For example:

Spoiler:

Recommended.

My buddy and I caught it last week on a thursday afternoon show, packed. I think maybe they were kind-of artsy people, at least their friends seemed so.

Patman · 11-08-08, 09:23 PM

Anne Hathaway stars in this family drama in which the tension gets ratcheted up when troubled Kym (Hathaway) shows up for the wedding of her older sister, Rachel (Rosemarie Dewitt). Director Jonathan Demme uses handheld cameras to provoke a very intimate atmosphere into the emotional upheaval that slowly builds as Kym's presence in the days before the wedding conjures up hurt feelings and resentment from the effects of her poor choices borne out of heavy drug use in her past.

While it is true that Anne Hathaway is getting Oscar buzz for her performance
(she simply disappears into Kym), it's one that sort of sneaks up on you as the film unfolds, and you find yourself engrossed in the film, and end up forgetting that you are watching actors because the situations, performances and direction of the film are solid all around, with Dewitt doing a bang-up job in a heartfelt supporting performance too, and Debra Winger makes the most of her part as the mother to the sisters.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B (definitely worth seeing for Hathaway and Dewitt's performances).

conscience · 11-15-08, 10:11 PM

I liked it. Anne Hathaway has finally wowed me with a performance and Rosemarie Dewitt is excellent. Sparked a lot of conversation when friends and I left the theater.

The only time I felt like looking to my watch was during the wedding reception; other than that I didn't have trouble with the film or the long stretches within.

movielib · 11-16-08, 10:43 AM

A good movie that has stayed with me since I saw it a week ago and I have liked it more every day as I think about it. Anne Hathaway is brilliant and continues to show her versatility.

Admittedly, this film is not for everyone but I see it as a big comeback in a small movie for Jonathan Demme. It made me think a little of Robert Altman's A Wedding.

Mr. Cinema · 12-04-08, 01:38 PM

My local indie theater is getting this tomorrow. I'll definitely check it out soon.

Giles · 12-05-08, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by movielib

A good movie that has stayed with me since I saw it a week ago and I have liked it more every day as I think about it. Anne Hathaway is brilliant and continues to show her versatility.

Admittedly, this film is not for everyone but I see it as a big comeback in a small movie for Jonathan Demme. It made me think a little of Robert Altman's A Wedding.

who as I recall is mentioned in the final credits as a thank you.

I was surprised to see that the movie was shot with HiDef camera's since the 35mm print I saw seemed very colour muted.

I generally liked the film, but I felt it could have been shortened by about ten minutes.

The Bus · 12-05-08, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giles

I was surprised to see that the movie was shot with HiDef camera's since the 35mm print I saw seemed very colour muted.

I generally liked the film, but I felt it could have been shortened by about ten minutes.

I wasn't surprised, the whole movie looked of video to me, but not in a bad way. If anything, it made things slightly more intimate.

I also agree about the length, although I don't think a cut would be necessary.

This movie has grown on me like no other this week. Everytime I hear it mentioned or see a trailer I want to see it again. It really is superb.

Giles · 12-05-08, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Bus

I wasn't surprised, the whole movie looked of video to me, but not in a bad way. If anything, it made things slightly more intimate.

I also agree about the length, although I don't think a cut would be necessary.

This movie has grown on me like no other this week. Everytime I hear it mentioned or see a trailer I want to see it again. It really is superb.

oh it was definately shot on video, but with actual hidef cameras, you could have fooled me, I think the DP, Demme and the Digital intermediate tech, obviousily down rezzed the sharpness and colour palette to make it look more film like. The overall effect and look was very effective.

wendersfan · 12-05-08, 10:08 PM

Just saw it. I thought it was really good, especially the acting and camerawork. I had some problems with the script/plot - a little to obvious and melodramatic in places. A cast that talented didn't need quite such an overwrought storyline.

Superboy · 12-06-08, 08:46 AM

Loved this movie, but I had to leave halfway through. I got motion sickness from the camera work. Loved what I saw though.

conscience · 12-06-08, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superboy

Loved this movie, but I had to leave halfway through. I got motion sickness from the camera work. Loved what I saw though.

I heard about people leaving because of that and that had me very worried, because I was thinking "oh no Blair Witch" (which I had to leave in the middle of before coming back) or "oh no Bourne fight scenes" but to tell you the truth I didn't even notice it.

wendersfan · 12-06-08, 04:03 PM

I can't imagine what these people would think of a film by the Dardennes.

slop101 · 02-15-09, 04:17 PM

I just saw this piece of shit, and God, I haven't hated a movie this much in a long time.
Where to start? There's so much to make fun of!

Let's start with the characters - there's not a sympathetic one in the bunch, and even if that was the point, they were completely uninteresting and absolutely grating, all of them behaving like no one I've ever met in my entire life. I've seen more realistic characters portrayals on a box of Rice Krispies. I seriously don't know anyone who behaves like these lifeless ciphers, except in movies like this, and equally annoying American Beauty.

And if that's not bad enough, the movie was one self-fellatio after another. How long did that dishwasher competition scene go on for? Five Minutes? It felt like a fucking lifetime, a pointless and joyless lifetime. But that's nothing compared to the wedding, I mean, Lolapalooza. I swear, that thing felt ten times longer than the never-ending wedding in Deer Hunter, and about a hundred times more annoying, not to mention distracting as hell. Robyn Hitchcock? Fab-5-Freddie? Was that fucking Roger Corman? What is the fucking point of this shit? Just like the random and haphazard faux culture and ethnicity forced onto the ceremony, it's like a parody of a parody. And I'll just barely mention the never-ending toasting and the needlessly annoying and incessant background musicians that drove me insane with rage. Look at all the artsy douchebags (who are likely friends with the director) just hanging around the set, contributing their "art"... fuck you!

So basically, I found it to be a meaningless, self-indulgent turd-fest. A shit script along with some of Demme's worst choices as a director (while the camera-work didn't make me nauseous, it made the film look and feel like a Fox reality show, which was fitting), though with some decent performances. But not enough to save this abortion of a movie.

I think the scene that best encapsulates the abhorrent dishonesty of this film is where in the hair salon, a stylists talks to Kym (god, even the spelling of her name is annoying) about her abuse, within ear-shot of everyone around them. Who the fuck would do that? But I guess the sisters wouldn't have their pathetic little conflict if he hadn't.

droidguy1119 · 02-15-09, 04:21 PM

I didn't hate this movie the way slop101 did, but I wasn't a fan. The two scenes I thought were compelling were the end to the dishwasher battle and Kym confronting her mother.

atlantamoi · 02-15-09, 04:30 PM

I disliked this movie from the very get-go. I tired of the dysfunctional-family-in-films a couple of years ago and this one drove that dagger deeper.

PopcornTreeCt · 03-08-09, 01:36 AM

Just finished this movie and it was pretty good. It was the most authentic wedding movie I've ever seen. I mean that in the sense of the way everyone acted so happy and laughed at cheesy jokes. Truly genuine dialogue. I especially liked the hand-held camera, I imagine this was done to make the movie feel like a home video. That worked for me too. It always felt like a family's home video and not a movie.

Anne Hathaway was crazy great. Better than I expected and far better than Kate Winslet in The Reader.

Anyway, highly recommended. One of last year's overlooked gems.

movieking · 03-08-09, 07:49 AM

A emotionally draining movie that was too long and really dragged at the end. They could have easily cut a number of the musical numbers.

Flynn · 05-02-09, 11:57 PM

Exactly what Slop101 said above. Except without the cussing.

Cellar Door · 05-03-09, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slop101

I just saw this piece of shit, and God, I haven't hated a movie this much in a long time.
Where to start? There's so much to make fun of!

Let's start with the characters - there's not a sympathetic one in the bunch, and even if that was the point, they were completely uninteresting and absolutely grating, all of them behaving like no one I've ever met in my entire life. I've seen more realistic characters portrayals on a box of Rice Krispies. I seriously don't know anyone who behaves like these lifeless ciphers, except in movies like this, and equally annoying American Beauty.

And if that's not bad enough, the movie was one self-fellatio after another. How long did that dishwasher competition scene go on for? Five Minutes? It felt like a fucking lifetime, a pointless and joyless lifetime. But that's nothing compared to the wedding, I mean, Lolapalooza. I swear, that thing felt ten times longer than the never-ending wedding in Deer Hunter, and about a hundred times more annoying, not to mention distracting as hell. Robyn Hitchcock? Fab-5-Freddie? Was that fucking Roger Corman? What is the fucking point of this shit? Just like the random and haphazard faux culture and ethnicity forced onto the ceremony, it's like a parody of a parody. And I'll just barely mention the never-ending toasting and the needlessly annoying and incessant background musicians that drove me insane with rage. Look at all the artsy douchebags (who are likely friends with the director) just hanging around the set, contributing their "art"... fuck you!

So basically, I found it to be a meaningless, self-indulgent turd-fest. A shit script along with some of Demme's worst choices as a director (while the camera-work didn't make me nauseous, it made the film look and feel like a Fox reality show, which was fitting), though with some decent performances. But not enough to save this abortion of a movie.

I think the scene that best encapsulates the abhorrent dishonesty of this film is where in the hair salon, a stylists talks to Kym (god, even the spelling of her name is annoying) about her abuse, within ear-shot of everyone around them. Who the fuck would do that? But I guess the sisters wouldn't have their pathetic little conflict if he hadn't.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt this way. During the interminable wedding-related scenes (the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, the reception) I felt like I was trapped in some white chick's guilt-fantasy about having the most eclectic never-ending wedding EVAR!

FinkPish · 05-03-09, 02:03 AM

I felt completely the opposite. The characters seemed more real to me than in many movies I've seen recently. Real people are self-absorbed and petulant and needy and sometimes dangerously emotional like the characters in this movie. Yes, the wedding was odd and very non-traditional, but with a family like they set up in the movie (with the dad and husband being musicians), it didn't feel out of place that there was a lot of hippy-ish, bohemian behavior going on all over the place.

Based on the trailer I saw months ago, I was expecting a pretty straight-forward family drama, but I thought it went deeper than that, and definitely in a smarter way. The movie played against type and avoided stereotypes, which I enjoyed. Status quo wasn't easily regained by the end of the movie and it felt like things had changed for the family, but they hadn't necessarily "learned a lesson" like in most bullshit family dramas.

I really liked it, more than I thought I would since I was sorta forced into renting it with a friend. I'm not surprised by the responses in the thread so far because the movie definitely didn't go the standard dysfunctional family route and wrap everything up nicely and easily in the end.

Cellar Door · 05-03-09, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinkPish

I'm not surprised by the responses in the thread so far because the movie definitely didn't go the standard dysfunctional family route and wrap everything up nicely and easily in the end.

But that wasn't my problem with it. The problem was that much of the movie felt like actually being at a wedding. I've been to a lot of weddings. They are boring. Even with all the music and characters in this movie wedding, it was still boring.

I thought the family drama was OK (though a lot of the situations were very forced--clumsy and amateurish writing to blame there), and I'm fine with the story not being wrapped up with a bow at the end. But there was too little actual substance in the story, or at least too little of it showed up on screen. It was too much icing and not enough cake.

10-20-08, 11:18 AM	#3
The Bus DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Delaware Posts: 42,903	Nobody's seen this? The showing I went to last night was absolutely packed and the audience reacted favorably. I agree with them. I liked this film a lot although some parts of it were a bit confusing, possibly on purpose. For example: Spoiler: Why was this an Indian-themed wedding? Recommended. __________________ Panda Killer XBL/PSN/Steam: Chiwotweiler \| hd dvdaf \| last.fm \| Movies: 2002 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 "Wearing Shakira's ass for a hat interests me more than anything else in the universe." - Hokeyboy

10-25-08, 04:51 PM	#4
Tracer Bullet DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Zorgonia Avenue, Queens Posts: 17,380	I saw this last night. I very much enjoyed it. Extremely well-done. Go see it. __________________ http://www.cartridgeblowers.com kvrdave. Making gay men hard since 1999. I agree it is correct, but Enterprise kind of botched the continuity. -wmansir THE BORG ARE NOT A SPECIES. THANK YOU.

11-08-08, 09:23 PM	#6
Patman DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Duluth, GA, USA Posts: 34,383	Anne Hathaway stars in this family drama in which the tension gets ratcheted up when troubled Kym (Hathaway) shows up for the wedding of her older sister, Rachel (Rosemarie Dewitt). Director Jonathan Demme uses handheld cameras to provoke a very intimate atmosphere into the emotional upheaval that slowly builds as Kym's presence in the days before the wedding conjures up hurt feelings and resentment from the effects of her poor choices borne out of heavy drug use in her past. While it is true that Anne Hathaway is getting Oscar buzz for her performance (she simply disappears into Kym), it's one that sort of sneaks up on you as the film unfolds, and you find yourself engrossed in the film, and end up forgetting that you are watching actors because the situations, performances and direction of the film are solid all around, with Dewitt doing a bang-up job in a heartfelt supporting performance too, and Debra Winger makes the most of her part as the mother to the sisters. I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B (definitely worth seeing for Hathaway and Dewitt's performances). __________________ PatCave; HT; DVDs; Dragon*Con 2009 According to DGibFen, I'm a "freaking genius." "Jee-sus, it's like Iwo Jima out there." - Roger Sterling

11-15-08, 10:11 PM	#7
conscience DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jul 1999 Posts: 7,119	I liked it. Anne Hathaway has finally wowed me with a performance and Rosemarie Dewitt is excellent. Sparked a lot of conversation when friends and I left the theater. The only time I felt like looking to my watch was during the wedding reception; other than that I didn't have trouble with the film or the long stretches within. __________________ You can't take a picture of this. It's already gone. - Nate Fisher, Six Feet Under

11-16-08, 10:43 AM	#8
movielib DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Madison, WI ("77 square miles surrounded by reality") Posts: 23,004	A good movie that has stayed with me since I saw it a week ago and I have liked it more every day as I think about it. Anne Hathaway is brilliant and continues to show her versatility. Admittedly, this film is not for everyone but I see it as a big comeback in a small movie for Jonathan Demme. It made me think a little of Robert Altman's A Wedding. __________________ 1.) "Those who can, observe, collect and analyze data, and experiment; those who can't, model." - movielib's Guide to Finding a Competent Climate Scientist 2.)"The amount of alarmist BS and hysteria is directly proportional to the amount of scientific research and data which refutes its position and inversely proportional to the time left until Copenhagen." - movielib's Law

09-10-08, 09:38 AM	#2
The Bus DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Delaware Posts: 42,903	This looks pretty good. __________________ Panda Killer XBL/PSN/Steam: Chiwotweiler \| hd dvdaf \| last.fm \| Movies: 2002 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 "Wearing Shakira's ass for a hat interests me more than anything else in the universe." - Hokeyboy

12-04-08, 01:38 PM	#9
Mr. Cinema Guest Join Date: Oct 1999 Posts: 11,950	My local indie theater is getting this tomorrow. I'll definitely check it out soon.

12-05-08, 10:08 PM	#13
wendersfan Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Yo soy la voz, la voz de Columbus Posts: 23,824	Just saw it. I thought it was really good, especially the acting and camerawork. I had some problems with the script/plot - a little to obvious and melodramatic in places. A cast that talented didn't need quite such an overwrought storyline. __________________ "Fifth Element may be as dumb and artless as Johnny Mnemonic, but since a frenchman made it it must be ART!" -Pants "...I think it's a low blow to draw attention to wendersfan's drunken state. " - dork "Just because their victims are still alive doesn't mean they didn't commit murder." - grundle "You concentrate on the sad wanna be hooliganism and let us worry about the actual soccer." - rocketsauce (final score: Columbus 2-Chicago 1)

12-06-08, 08:46 AM	#14
Superboy DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: So Cal Posts: 3,578	Loved this movie, but I had to leave halfway through. I got motion sickness from the camera work. Loved what I saw though. __________________ "We would have injected vitamin C if only they had made it illegal" - Renton, Trainspotting

12-06-08, 04:03 PM	#16
wendersfan Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Yo soy la voz, la voz de Columbus Posts: 23,824	I can't imagine what these people would think of a film by the Dardennes. __________________ "Fifth Element may be as dumb and artless as Johnny Mnemonic, but since a frenchman made it it must be ART!" -Pants "...I think it's a low blow to draw attention to wendersfan's drunken state. " - dork "Just because their victims are still alive doesn't mean they didn't commit murder." - grundle "You concentrate on the sad wanna be hooliganism and let us worry about the actual soccer." - rocketsauce (final score: Columbus 2-Chicago 1)

02-15-09, 04:17 PM	#17
slop101 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: in your mind Posts: 11,933	Re: Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008) I just saw this piece of shit, and God, I haven't hated a movie this much in a long time. Where to start? There's so much to make fun of! Let's start with the characters - there's not a sympathetic one in the bunch, and even if that was the point, they were completely uninteresting and absolutely grating, all of them behaving like no one I've ever met in my entire life. I've seen more realistic characters portrayals on a box of Rice Krispies. I seriously don't know anyone who behaves like these lifeless ciphers, except in movies like this, and equally annoying American Beauty. And if that's not bad enough, the movie was one self-fellatio after another. How long did that dishwasher competition scene go on for? Five Minutes? It felt like a fucking lifetime, a pointless and joyless lifetime. But that's nothing compared to the wedding, I mean, Lolapalooza. I swear, that thing felt ten times longer than the never-ending wedding in Deer Hunter, and about a hundred times more annoying, not to mention distracting as hell. Robyn Hitchcock? Fab-5-Freddie? Was that fucking Roger Corman? What is the fucking point of this shit? Just like the random and haphazard faux culture and ethnicity forced onto the ceremony, it's like a parody of a parody. And I'll just barely mention the never-ending toasting and the needlessly annoying and incessant background musicians that drove me insane with rage. Look at all the artsy douchebags (who are likely friends with the director) just hanging around the set, contributing their "art"... fuck you! So basically, I found it to be a meaningless, self-indulgent turd-fest. A shit script along with some of Demme's worst choices as a director (while the camera-work didn't make me nauseous, it made the film look and feel like a Fox reality show, which was fitting), though with some decent performances. But not enough to save this abortion of a movie. I think the scene that best encapsulates the abhorrent dishonesty of this film is where in the hair salon, a stylists talks to Kym (god, even the spelling of her name is annoying) about her abuse, within ear-shot of everyone around them. Who the fuck would do that? But I guess the sisters wouldn't have their pathetic little conflict if he hadn't.

02-15-09, 04:21 PM	#18
droidguy1119 DVD Talk Reviewer Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,870	Re: Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008) I didn't hate this movie the way slop101 did, but I wasn't a fan. The two scenes I thought were compelling were the end to the dishwasher battle and Kym confronting her mother. __________________ DVDTalk Reviews \| The Following Preview \| facebook \| My DVDaf (RIP DVDSpot) \| e-mail me 1 Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever \| 2 Antichrist \| 3 Bronson \| 4 $9.99 \| 5 The Lovely Bones 6 Saw VI \| 7 The Box \| 8 A Serious Man \| 9 Sherlock Holmes \| 10 Where the Wild Things Are

02-15-09, 04:30 PM	#19
atlantamoi DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Atlanta Posts: 7,265	Re: Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008) I disliked this movie from the very get-go. I tired of the dysfunctional-family-in-films a couple of years ago and this one drove that dagger deeper. __________________ Continues higher education in music knowledge by being schooled though Blogs.

03-08-09, 01:36 AM	#20
PopcornTreeCt DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 15,207	Re: Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008) Just finished this movie and it was pretty good. It was the most authentic wedding movie I've ever seen. I mean that in the sense of the way everyone acted so happy and laughed at cheesy jokes. Truly genuine dialogue. I especially liked the hand-held camera, I imagine this was done to make the movie feel like a home video. That worked for me too. It always felt like a family's home video and not a movie. Anne Hathaway was crazy great. Better than I expected and far better than Kate Winslet in The Reader. Anyway, highly recommended. One of last year's overlooked gems. __________________

03-08-09, 07:49 AM	#21
movieking DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 11,679	Re: Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008) A emotionally draining movie that was too long and really dragged at the end. They could have easily cut a number of the musical numbers. __________________ Books I've Read So Far This Year Part One Books I've Read So Far This Year Part Two Books I've Read So Far This Year Part Three

05-02-09, 11:57 PM	#22
Flynn DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Inside the MCP Posts: 1,397	Re: Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008) Exactly what Slop101 said above. Except without the cussing. __________________ Blu Ray: 56 Titles HD-DVD: 67 Titles DVD: 957 Titles

05-03-09, 02:03 AM	#24
FinkPish DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 5,285	Re: Rachel Getting Married (Demme, 2008) I felt completely the opposite. The characters seemed more real to me than in many movies I've seen recently. Real people are self-absorbed and petulant and needy and sometimes dangerously emotional like the characters in this movie. Yes, the wedding was odd and very non-traditional, but with a family like they set up in the movie (with the dad and husband being musicians), it didn't feel out of place that there was a lot of hippy-ish, bohemian behavior going on all over the place. Based on the trailer I saw months ago, I was expecting a pretty straight-forward family drama, but I thought it went deeper than that, and definitely in a smarter way. The movie played against type and avoided stereotypes, which I enjoyed. Status quo wasn't easily regained by the end of the movie and it felt like things had changed for the family, but they hadn't necessarily "learned a lesson" like in most bullshit family dramas. I really liked it, more than I thought I would since I was sorta forced into renting it with a friend. I'm not surprised by the responses in the thread so far because the movie definitely didn't go the standard dysfunctional family route and wrap everything up nicely and easily in the end.