Review of Rachel Getting Married (2008) by Justin V — 09 Jan 2012

Though not Jonathan Demmeâ??s best film, Rachel Getting Married is still worthy of a serious viewing. The 1992 Best Director for The Silence of the Lambs presents a movie that is smaller in scope but is much bigger in dealings of the heart and of the family.

Love is in the air and Rachel Buchman (Rosemarie Dewitt, AMCâ??s Mad Men) is about to get married. It is the weekend of the big wedding as family and friends have converged upon the Buchman home to celebrate. One person who has found her way to the wedding is Rachelâ??s younger sister, Kym (Anne Hathaway in an Oscar-caliber role). Kym is a recovering drug addict and is currently in rehab. Having been given a weekend pass to attend the wedding, Kym is seemingly on the road to recovery but is still wrestling with her inner demons. Upon her arrival, though, it is clear that her past actions still resonate loudly within the family. Almost randomly, Kym fiercely argues with Rachel about her involvement in the wedding, having found out secondhand that sheâ??s not the maid of honor. The argument is a sign of things to come as Kym fights with herself and with everyone around her.

There are some fairly eccentric, but lovable, characters in Rachel (a Demme trademark). Rachelâ??s fiancé, Sidney Williams (Tunde Adebimpe, lead singer of TV on the Radio), is a kind and caring man whose love for Rachel is paralleled only by his love for music. His best man, Keiran (Mather Zickel, Reno 911), is a recovering addict like Kym. Abby (Oscar nominee Debra Winger) is the siblingsâ?? mother â?? someone who Kym still relies on for support. Finally, there is Paul Buchman (a superb Bill Irwin), easily the guiding light in the darkness of the Buchman family drama. When in doubt, Paul looks for support from his wife, Carol (Anna Deavere Smith, The Kingdom) â?? quiet and observant but undeniably strong-willed.

The focus of Rachel is on Kym but pleasingly this is more of an ensemble piece. Kym quips like a stand-up comedian and her â??me-firstâ?? mentality is a clear sign of her insecurities. Nine months sober and counting, sheâ??s looking for closure and affirmation from the very people she hurt. Rachel has found love in Sidney but is unsure how to handle Kym and her tantrums. Paul, even with his open-mindedness, is reminded of past events and canâ??t help but wither at the mere thought of its sad results. And Abbyâ??s thinly veiled façade mirrors the same hurt and pain that Paul is feeling. It becomes more evident that Kym isnâ??t the only one in the Buchman clan whoâ??s looking for closure.

Written by Jenny Lumet (daughter of acclaimed director Sidney Lumet), Rachel is her commentary on the importance of family. She values family greatly and has made great strides in displaying both the good and the bad of family life. In spite of all the emotional troubles and the demands of the wedding itself, itâ??s the actual event that serves as a sanctuary for all. When Rachel and Sidney exchange their vows itâ??s as if all those troubles disappeared. Those troubles are still there come morning - but with all of the weddingâ??s love, joy and happiness everything is put into perspective. The wedding is a symbol of all that can be good in life with love as its prize.

Rachel Getting Married is a delightful film that is with great performances, beautiful music and (even if itâ??s not a real one) an incredible wedding. Demme and Lumet crafted a quiet, quirky and heartwarming film thatâ??s bound to strike a few chords. The problems lie in the handheld, home video feel of the production and the seemingly â??it felt a lot longer than thatâ?? running time. I believe that was the intention since sometimes spending even a little amount of time with oneâ??s own family can feel like eternity â?? but that doesnâ??t mean it should be displayed onscreen. But the realness of the characters and the drama that unfolds make this a poignant and touching film.