Rachel Getting Married

This movie really is a great character study. It is unlike all the other Jonathan Demme films that I have seen and probably ranks with his best work but still not even close to "The Silence of the Lambs. This movie is about a very different kind of girl just like her unique name, Kym. She is just getting out of rehab to attend her sister Rachel's wedding. Let the awkwardness, the memories, the anger, the saddness begin. You can kind of see what sort of movie this is just by reading the general description. What makes this movie special is not the directing or the acting from the supporting characters although it is all good. This movie is all Anne Hathaway. The movie opens just with a close up of her face and your first reaction is "Oh my gosh, that is the really nice girl we all know from "Ella Enchanted" and "Princess Diaries." Why is she smoking a cigarrette. Right after your first initial shock is over, you completely forget all of Anne Hathaways's past "kiddie" roles and become completely immersed and mesmerized by Kym. Anne Hathaway is Kym, she is not playing Kym she has literally become her and embodied her character. That is what makes this movie good. I can see this film being somewhat difficult to watch if they are parents, especially to parents with children struggling with drug addictions. This movie really gets right to your emotions and the acting is phenomenal by of coarse Anne and also Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger, and the best supporting cast member Bill Irwin who does a fantastic job as Kym and Rachel's father. Most people who see this film will admit it is well made but will not enjoy it. This is not a very fun subject matter and there are parts to this film that could really make you cry. The film is also not perfect. It falls into that trap most independent films fall into where it is so much about emotion and the acting that they think they can get away with long story lulls or in this case almost halts. Some movies it works, this one not really. The film is definitely worth seeing just for Hathaway's performance which got her recognition with an Academy Award Nomination for Best Actress. Out of 5 stars Hathaway is a 5, but the movie itself does not do as well.

3 out of 5 Stars