Review of Rachel Getting Married (2008) by Melissa A — 17 Jan 2010

A nuanced, utterly convincing performance from Anne Hathaway (deservedly garnering her an Oscar nomination) anchors this riveting exploration of joy, pain, loss and family. This also heralds a return to form for director Jonathan Demme, whose decision to shoot cinema verite style suits the subject matter and tone perfectly, capturing a raw, organic emotional experience.

For a story with such weighty issues and themes, the documentary style and unconventional narrative gives the story a lightness of touch that allows the viewer to be carried away into the intimate world of the Buchman family home, as friends and family gather for the wedding of Rachel. Often searing in its honesty and realism, Rachel Getting Married immerses the viewer into the ambience of the variously joyous and fraught family situation.

Demme and screenwriter Jenny Lumet cleverly avoid the temptation to make Hathaway's character obviously sympathetic, or set her up as some kind of flawed Saintly figure trapped by her past. Instead, they have crafted a frustrating, self-centred, scathing and obnoxious central character who somehow manages to be completely believable and sympathetic. It's a testament to Hathaway's hitherto untapped ability that she carries this powerhouse role off with apparent ease.

Hathaway is surrounded by a flawless supporting cast, particularly Bill Irwin in a heart-rending performance as worried father Paul, Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel, and Debra Winger as distant mother Abby.

Both devastating and uplifting, Rachel Getting Married is a tribute to the dichotomous fragility and enduring power of familial ties.