Rachel Getting Married

Hathaway proves she’s got more than just good looks

Every year there is the obligatory dysfunctional family movie. Rachel Getting Married is this year’s, except it’s actually worth watching.

Anne Hathaway plays the lead character Kym, an attention-seeking young woman released from her rehab facility to attend her sister’s wedding. When she first arrives home, there is an awkward tension so thick between Kym and her family that you know it’s there without having one piece of dialogue telling you about it.

Throughout the course of the film, we find out why this unique tension exists between each one of them and what the one event is that triggered it all. It is in these expositional scenes that Hathaway really shines. She puts on a character that we’ve never seen her in before and she’s perfect for it.

Rachel Getting Married is filmed much like last year’s Oscar-winning indie hit ONCE; it is shot in a sort of style that makes you feel like it might be a documentary and not a feature film. This up-close and personal camerawork makes you feel like you’re a guest at a wedding rehearsal or a member of the family in the room as the discussions and arguments unfold.

There are certain scenes in Rachel Getting Married that make you feel so uncomfortable that you don’t want to watch it anymore. But if you make it through all of the tough moments, you’ll be glad you did. The acting, writing and directing turn this hard-to-watch “I hate my family” film into an indie treasure.

Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics