While weddings are all about family, friends and, of course, the bride and groom, sometimes attendees to such ceremonies, as well as the reception and occasionally the rehearsal dinner, don't know anyone but the main couple. And since those two are a little preoccupied regarding the big day, they don't have much time for said guests beyond a quick greeting, congratulatory exchange and then farewell.
As a result, such attendees usually exchange pleasantries with strangers when not simply sitting back and observing the proceedings. While those usually involve things joyous, there are the moments -- be they stemming from the rampage of Bridezilla to relatives who can't hold their liquor or any number of other disruptions, familial or otherwise -- that make such observations a bit more interesting.
If you've ever been in that guest boat, you'll likely experience a feeling of déjà vu while watching "Rachel Getting Married." And that's because the filmmakers -- director Jonathan Demme, screenwriter Jenny Lumet and cinematographer Declan Quinn -- drop the viewer down into the middle of the two-day event that makes up the vast majority of this 110-some minute offering.
With a handheld camera arriving at the Connecticut home of the bride (sans a tripod, dolly or Steadicam -- so bring whatever you take, if needed, to deal with motion sickness) the filmmaker best known for "Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia" takes his time in letting us observe the preparations, rehearsal dinner (and related speeches), the ceremony, and the reception.
I've yet to pinpoint exactly why, but it's oddly mesmerizing, and what I'd usually point out as filler (including footage of people simply doing that they do at such events) somehow manages to work. Some of that, of course, stems from the plot (as simple as it is) and the characters within it, some of whom exist in the pure drama mode, while many of the minor and miscellaneous ones nearly come off like subjects in some sort of true-life wedding documentary.
Working from the realization that most any large, ceremonial family gathering almost always carries the risk of familial melodrama, Lumet (daughter of legendary filmmaker Sidney) has Anne Hathaway as our protagonist who gets a day pass from rehab to attend her sister's wedding. The siblings' distinct personalities -- Rosemarie DeWitt plays the "good" sister to Hathaway's troubled one -- leads to much strife between the two, no doubt fueled by a tragedy in their past that, natch, will eventually be revealed.
Their father (Bill Irwin) is stuck in the middle having to deal with Kym thinking he favors Rachel who isn't happy her sibling is present, while their mother (Debra Winger) has pretty much dropped out of all of their lives while moving on with her own. Kym's need for understanding, acceptance and answers of her own continuously threaten to undermine the festivities and that's what fuels the drama. Thankfully, Demme and company manage to keep most of that from coming off as maudlin and/or melodramatic, partly thanks to decent to strong performances from the cast.
Although Hathaway is getting the lion's share of accolades (and is good but not great following her role in "Brokeback Mountain" in her current run to be viewed as a serious actress rather than that girl who appeared in those "Princess Diaries" flicks), it's DeWitt who really shines, while Winger is good in her limited screen time, and Tunde Adebimpe is noteworthy as the kind of groom that will make many a woman's heart go all aflutter (his various pronouncements of love are quite moving I must admit).
Even so, and as all of the family drama is playing out, Demme seems just as interested or more in making us feel like a welcome guest at a real wedding. And gosh darn it, he somehow manages to pull it off, perhaps because most everyone related to it -- save for the two lead characters -- are so welcoming and intent on making sure everyone has a good time.
While some might find such footage repetitive or ultimately pointless (and others may feel as if the wedding is taking place at sea, what with the constantly bobbing and weaving camera), I was surprised to find most of it fairly entertaining. "Rachel Getting Married" rates as a 6 out of 10.
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