Review of Margot at the Wedding (2007) by Spangle — 18 Aug 2016
Margot at the Wedding tells the story of a bunch of characters and their lives, but fails to let us know why we are watching them. I love slice of life films, but this is more than slice of life. This simply a series of scenes with loose threads connecting them.
It is cringy and quirky, but Baumbach demonstrates little knowledge of human emotion here with very unhuman characters. Honestly, this movie could be described as how aliens would act if they suddenly landed on Earth and tried to act human.
These people had the motions, but not the emotions or language. Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh are good, but are stranded in a sea of indie quirk and Baumbach refuses to throw them a lifeline, which is deeply unfortunate.
Unlike previous Baumbach efforts I have seen, Margot at the Wedding is not just distant emotionally, it is a film that you have to squint and really focus to see any emotion. Even then, I am not sure there is any.
Often times, it plays like a crude and raunchy comedy of modern day that are known for saying things that are outlandish and uncommon just to be random and funny. Though not crude or raunchy, Margot at the Wedding falls for the same trap and thinks being random is hysterical.
Unfortunately, it is not. Very disappointing.
This review of Margot at the Wedding (2007) was written by Spangle on 18 Aug 2016.
Margot at the Wedding has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
