Rachel Getting Married
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: October 3, 2008
5.8
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 237 Ratings
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131
Mixed:
27
Negative:
79
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
5
txrangersfan72Sep 19, 2010
This might be the oddest reaction I've had to a movie in a long time. Overall, the movie was a complete bore. I think it was poorly directed by Jonathan Demme. The length was tantamount to watching paint dry. Granted, it was primarilyThis might be the oddest reaction I've had to a movie in a long time. Overall, the movie was a complete bore. I think it was poorly directed by Jonathan Demme. The length was tantamount to watching paint dry. Granted, it was primarily centered around women, so drama is a given, but the extent and unending drama in this movie is unnecessary and quite stupid.

Yet...

Anne Hathaway, as nails-on-chalkboard irritating as she is in this movie, obviously pulls off a stunning performance since I completely removed Anne Hathaway from the role. She WAS Kym. And, thus, as bad as the movie was, Anne Hathaway moved up a level in my book. A fantastic performance definitely worthy of the Oscar nod.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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5
JWApr 4, 2009
Average at best. Attempts to be subtle by bitch slapping us with the obvious.
0 of 1 users found this helpful
5
PatrickD.Dec 1, 2008
my opinion of it was that it was too long and i am unsure what it was trying to accomplish. i would have been a bigger fan of an ending like her crashing of the same bridge that had killed her little brother and while only one of them is my opinion of it was that it was too long and i am unsure what it was trying to accomplish. i would have been a bigger fan of an ending like her crashing of the same bridge that had killed her little brother and while only one of them is outlooking they dont find out and continue with the wedding. Then just before the kiss the police show up and inform them that kym is dead. I would have applauded an ending like that. The movie however probably wouldnt be realistic, but who cares about realism. The movies are escapism; the trend of realism sucks. If kym had died she really would have been shiva the destroyer and the movie which is never really about rachel getting married would be all the funnier and sadder because the only way that she can get the attention she hates and wants would be to kill herself.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
TonyB.Apr 24, 2009
Have you ever watched a good home movie that was in desperate need of editing because many unnecessary and/or too long scenes were allowed to go on forever. If you have, you will be reminded of that experience when you see Rachel Getting Married.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
LauraSNov 22, 2008
The good: Anne Hathaway's acting. The fact that my companion and I kept wanting to talk about different scenes when the movie was over. The bad: Let's face it, the movie was a bit dull. I found myself squirming in my seat. The The good: Anne Hathaway's acting. The fact that my companion and I kept wanting to talk about different scenes when the movie was over. The bad: Let's face it, the movie was a bit dull. I found myself squirming in my seat. The ugly: Nothing. Anne Hathaway is still beautiful even when they try to make her look bedraggled, even when she has a bloody lip and a black eye.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
AndrewLOct 23, 2008
A pretentious movie for pretentious people.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
JohnNov 11, 2008
Some of the most authentic dysfunctional family dynamics and dialogue ever, but also some of the most overlong, pretentious, contrived scenes ever. The wedding was excruciating. Why did we need 8 or 9 different musical groups at a wedding. Some of the most authentic dysfunctional family dynamics and dialogue ever, but also some of the most overlong, pretentious, contrived scenes ever. The wedding was excruciating. Why did we need 8 or 9 different musical groups at a wedding. It was 2 movies, one that worked, and one that looked like a college music dept review.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
stevesNov 30, 2008
This could have been an interesting movie about the trials of an addict coming out of rehab contrasted with a happy family event, her sister's wedding. Instead, the director decided to make a movie about a wedding with some small This could have been an interesting movie about the trials of an addict coming out of rehab contrasted with a happy family event, her sister's wedding. Instead, the director decided to make a movie about a wedding with some small portion of the drama about the conflicts between the druggie and the family. A real disappointment.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
BillyS.Nov 9, 2008
Connecticut. Home of the multi-racial, socially diverse, polically correct American family. yeah, right! I need re-hab to if my family was that perfect.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
JosephF.Oct 23, 2008
Enormous downer. not entertainment. would not have chosen this film going in.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
KeithC.Nov 12, 2008
Despite revolving around a happy occasion, this is a real downer. This movie is really about Rachel's younger sister Kym, who is a walking time bomb ready to throw a tantrum at the drop of a hat. She is a neurotic chain-smoker and Despite revolving around a happy occasion, this is a real downer. This movie is really about Rachel's younger sister Kym, who is a walking time bomb ready to throw a tantrum at the drop of a hat. She is a neurotic chain-smoker and recovering drug addict. With her nervous laughter and cynical tongue, she does everything to steal the spotlight away from rachel's big day. This low-budget, dramatic train wreck seems totally unscripted. The constantly moving hand-held camera jiggles and shakes. it simulates turbulence from a bumpy airline flight. there are several dull and boring stretches with bland characters not worth caring about. The speeches and toasts around the dinner table seem to be made up on the spot ad-libs. The pervasive background music is irritating and sounds worse than chalk on a blackboard. The movie resorts to a dishwasher loading contest for excitement. The movie is unsettling and uncomfortable to sit through. it could not end soon enough for me. the movie provides a heavy dose of reality portraying life as complicated, painful and messy. A better alternative than this poorly edited, homemade wedding video is to rent "Four Weddings and a Funeral."… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
seanmNov 28, 2008
Self-important and meandering. Wastes some wonderful ingredients by focusing too much attention on the vacuum that is supposed to be a plot.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
EvanC.Oct 25, 2008
An exasperating movie. When it was good, it was great, but then there would be long sections that should have been left on the cutting room floor. The acting was superb, and Hathaway's playing of the narcisstic recovering addict was An exasperating movie. When it was good, it was great, but then there would be long sections that should have been left on the cutting room floor. The acting was superb, and Hathaway's playing of the narcisstic recovering addict was excellent. But there were times when I kept looking at my watch wondering when it was going to be over. And the music was incredibly irritating. I felt like Kym in saying, "Stop. No more."… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
JeremyKOct 13, 2009
Extraordinarily disappointing as I had built up some confidence in David Edelstein - who incredulously called this myopic misfire a "masterpiece" - but find myself utterly underwhelmed by this amateur-hour soap opera dresssed up as an edgy Extraordinarily disappointing as I had built up some confidence in David Edelstein - who incredulously called this myopic misfire a "masterpiece" - but find myself utterly underwhelmed by this amateur-hour soap opera dresssed up as an edgy indie film. There is no doubt some craftiness to the direction and use of ensemble acting - but what a soulless cheeseball of a movie. We despise all the characters (sometimes guilting them by association) and the way the over-the-top antics of the main characters who are of so little consequence, not only to each other, but to the detriment of the viewers curiosity about - what happens next? "Who are these people and who cares?" is a more appropriately realistic intuition. A nauseating exercise in watching an out of touch director portray a cliched dysfunctional family, peppered with all the usual (only more agonizing to sit through) drama and squabbles while you get the distinct feeling that on and off screen, this group couldn't be more stuffed with themselves in their self-congratulations - as though something even remotely worthwhile had been fashioned. They're wrong and it's 2 hours of your life you'll never recover. I suppose it earns a four because of the intensity of my disdain for this film (much the same intensity of dislike I had for Paul Haggis' "Crash"-- that must be worth something, mustn't it? This my friends is a film made by and for the fat, happy and utterly ignorant.(Oh, and that's an expression, not an attack on the overweight). Skip it or see it and let the gagfest begin..… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
BobFOct 17, 2009
Very good acting and, I suppose, a good look at a family in distress. Too long and too many scenes that drift into meaningless wastes of time. The good is outweighed by the boredom. OK at best.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
AllanW.Mar 21, 2009
Some good acting lifts a fairly routine and slow-moving story. Too many scenes are dragged out with little payoff. Jonathan Demme seems to have tried to hard for "nauralism."
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
FilipeNetoApr 25, 2021
When I prepared to see this film, I had a certain amount of expectations. I had heard very good opinions about it, including friends, and I expected an excellent film. In fact, the film is good, but it is not exactly impressive, and I feelWhen I prepared to see this film, I had a certain amount of expectations. I had heard very good opinions about it, including friends, and I expected an excellent film. In fact, the film is good, but it is not exactly impressive, and I feel that it has been a little overrated.

The film shows the visit of Kym Buchman to his family of origin, to attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel. The family is rich, white, conventional, tolerant, polite and affable: their parents are divorced, remarried and live separate lives, but they maintain a good relationship and everything is perfect in this family, whom everyone likes (the abundance of friends and guests shows this). Kym is the dissonant note: with a past marked by the use of drugs and alcohol, and also by a terrible tragedy that has marked the family ever, she will be the center of several moments of family tension.

As you can see, the film is a family drama based on scarce premises. It is basically a home video of a wedding in a wealthy family, which covers the entire wedding and the family conflicts around the characters, ending in a sterile way, with nothing substantial happening as a result of what we saw, in a totally open, empty end. Directed by Jonathan Demme, the film has several positive points, starting with the way in which the characters are developed and psychologically rich, and the way in which it took from the actors the best they could give. But the hollow story is truly disappointing.

The cast is very good and is headed by Anne Hathaway, so deep, committed, strong and impactful that it is impossible to remain indifferent. The character is not pleasant, she is someone who has already made many mistakes, too many mistakes, in her life and still wants to be trusted. It is not easy, especially knowing the ups and downs that drug addicts, even those who have already rehabilitated, feel in their daily struggle against addiction. But Hathaway was colossal and was able to bring all her psychological wealth to her character and give us one of the richest dramatic works in her career to date. Debra Winger is another great actress who is present in this film and enchants us. I also liked Bill Irwin's work. Less interesting, Rosemarie DeWitt does what she can in a character that is highly unpleasant and that permanently sounds like a spoiled girl in need of attention.

Technically, the film has some positive and some frankly negative points. On the positive side, I would highlight the excellent design of the costumes and sets. And in fact I recognize the innovative and original way in which Demme explored the soundtrack, allowing for its gradual creation as the film was shot, in a sound cacophony that fits well in the wedding preparations. Despite that, I didn't like that, and I feel that, with that option, the film became tiring for the audience's ears. Another option that I understand, but I didn't like, was the use of the handheld camera and a constantly shaky cinematography. The use of close-ups also seemed to me to be abusive. I felt that Demme wanted us to take a good look at the nose holes of the entire cast.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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