I’ve seen this movie mentioned in a few Awards threads, but haven’t seen a thread of its own. Has anyone seen it? Care to discuss it? I sw it today and, overall, liked it.
If there’s already a thread, could you point me towards it? Search turned up nothing but the Awards threads.
I saw this on Thanksgiving…
I’m not sure how I feel about it, honestly. Anne Hathaway does an amazing job, and deserves all of the kudos she’s been getting so far. I also thought Debra Winger was great as was the actor that played Hathaway’s dad and the actress that played her sister.
My biggest complaints were that the rehearsal dinner and wedding scenes were really drawn out. It was like I was sitting at the actual dinner and wedding and listening to all sorts of people I don’t know giving speeches and what not. I don’t like going to weddings of people I know, let alone strangers in a movie.
I also thought the dishwasher loading scene was a lot of mundane setup for the payoff w/ the brother’s plastic plate.
I read that the movie is supposed to be about love and marriage and family, and not really about the Anne Hathaway character so much. I can see that, and looking at it from that perspective I think gives me a better appreciation for what Demme was trying to do. There were just those few scenes that bugged me a bit but overall I thought it was a pretty good film.
I completely agree with you about the rehearsal dinner and wedding scenes. I guess I should spoiler this, just in case…
I did want to crawl under my seat when Kym started her rambling, rehab-humor speech at the rehearsal dinner. I was cringing and actually had my hand half-covering my face. But I did totally agree with her in that one scene when she asked if the musicians were going to play all fucking weekend…enough was enough. I understand (or at least think) that the purpose of the drawn-out wedding celebration was to illustrate that there is this wonderful coming together of many cultures, none of which Kym feels she belongs to, but it did go on way too long.
About 10 or 15 minutes from the end, I tried to imagine what kind of ending would satisfy me in its ability to wrap up enough of the story without seeming too contrived and I was kind of stuck. But I thought the story and direction actually did a fair job with that. In summary, I think I agree with you—I’m still not sure how I feel about it. But I did think Anne Hathaway was great. I was with her for every twitch and complicated emotion, empathizing with her at times and wanting to slap her at others. Just like in a real family with problems.
It wasn’t perfect, by any means, but I did like it. I think that one of the best aspects was a peek into a lifestyle, one that I believe to be more common than many people think, in which ethnicity is not such a salient feature that it colors all interactions. These people were way past those matters, it seems. It was as if it was intentionally ignored by the writers and the director, in order for it to be accepted as simply part of the pastiche. I also was impressed with a life - one that is clearly based on reality - that is so rich with friends, music, arts, generosity of spirit, and verve. I know that there are people whose lives are like that. I found myself being almost envious. I also thought that Rachel was a wonderful character. They were all basically good people, which is a pleasant departure from most movies. They were flawed, for sure, but basically good. That’s a premise that moves me in a book or a movie.
Just saw this yesterday, and agree as to the pacing re: the dinner, reception, and dishwasher. Also cringed at Kym’s speech.
Glad I saw it, impressed at preformances by AH and others. But this was the type of film that bothered me because of some questions it left unanswered.
For example, it always distances me from a film when the folk are incredibly rich - especially when there is no explanation as to where the wealth came from. Anyone know where the father’s wealth came from? And Debra Winger seemed to be living in considerable style after the divorce as well. May seem a small thing, but it just makes it harder for me to sympathize with people’s “rel life” problems, when something so “real life” as earning money doesn’t factor in.
I also had questions about the timeline. As I understood it, Kym was already an addict when she killed her brother at age 15. How old was she supposed to be at the time of the wedding? Certainly no older than 25. And at some time, she was supposedly a model appearing on the covers of national mags. Was that before age 15, or after she was already an addict responsible for her brother’s death? And apparently there was enough time between age 15 and the present for her parents to get divorced and both of them to get remarried. Just didn’t seem right to me.
And I didn’t find the relationship between Rachel and Sidney really convincing. Didn’t really see any passion there. Instead, more of a comfortable and supportive relationship as I’d expect in long-time friends or long married couples. Any idea what Sidney does for a living? Is he a musician, and the best man helped him “with the business end”? At some point the girls’ dad mentioned that he had been very successful. . .
How many people are actually that eclectic in their families and friends. Rachel was marrying a black man, and her dad’s second wife was black - or of mixed race. Their friends and family seemed equal parts of every imaginable ethnicity. Sidney’s parents spoke of heaven, the bride and attendants wore saris and the cake was in the shape of an elephant, the service was entirely secular, and they kept saying the jewish toast L’chiam (sp?).
Like I said, I am glad I watched it, but these kind of questions distanced me from it.
Loved the scene when Kym finally confronted her mom. Man, was that bitch cold! And then Rachel bathing Kym. Very touching. Those scenes were the best 20 minutes of the film for me.
I just saw the move.
I agree with the criticism so far that the director focused too much on random characters. It actually made me feel like I was at a real wedding. I don’t know if that is what he was going for, but I don’t see a point to it.
The real story is about how the family deals with Kym. It should have focused on that more than showing how the family deals with Sidney’s family.
The movie would not be remarkable if the actors did not put up such great performances. The acting was probably too good for the movie.
Saw it last nite and really enjoyed it, but agree with criticisms. (My wife, OTOH, hated hated hated it.)
Should’ve had a little more focus on the important relationships, rather than so much time spent on how eclectic the set of friends were. It was like Rachel had no friends (except Emma) and everyone invited was one of Sidney’s musician friends.
I also did not buy the “relationship” between the best man and Kim. I got the impression that the best man guy was supposed to have been sober for quite some time, and emotionally stable, and I don’t buy that he’d sleep with her like that. That character rang false.
But I got sucked in. Probably because the performances by the main characters were stellar. Especially Anne Hathaway and equally so IMHO the sister Rachel (don’t know the actress’ name).