‘Rachel’ Revives Venice
The natives were beginning to grumble about a disappointing Venice Film Festival this year, but it looks like Jonathan Demme’s Rachel Getting Married has livened things up a little bit. The darkly comic drama stars Anne Hathaway (Brokeback Mountain, The Devil Wears Prada) as the black sheep of a dysfunctional family who gets out from rehab to attend her sister’s wedding.
Calling it “hand-held, free-wheeling and at times joyously spontaneous,” Screen Daily’s Fionnuala Halligan pegs the film as a tribute to Robert Altman. She also drops the awards gauntlet:
“Packed with superb performances, in particular from Anne Hathaway in the lead role and Debra Winger in a small supporting turn she makes memorable, Rachel Getting Married will undoubtedly be up for awards consideration in the major categories.”
I’m glad to see Demme back in strong narrative feature territory and equally happy to see Anne Hathaway given a role with some meat on its bones. A return to form for Debra Winger would be frosting on the cake.
Rachel Getting Married will make its North American premiere at Toronto and will arrive in US theaters on October 3.
Filed under: Buzz, Film Festivals
Tags: Anne Hathaway, Debra Winger, Jonathan Demme, Rachel Getting Married
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This does look moderately interesting, judging by the trailer. It would be pleasant to see Anne Hathaway spread her wings a bit here. I’ve never been much of a Demme fan, but I’m glad to hear this has attracted some good notices at Venice.
I am so excited for this!
The trailer had me until the cover of the Buddy Holly song, but I’ll play along. I love Something Wild and Silence of the Lambs, but it’s been a while since Demme has wowed me.
It’s a good thing it wasn’t released last year with Margot at the Wedding; they’d be eternally mistaken for each other, just on title and jaded-sisterness alone.
I’m hoping it’s good and the hand-held camera works. Sometimes they’re so shaky it gives me a headache, sometimes I really like it.
Don’t forget about The Savages too. Different story, but still a dysfunctional family and siblings going at each other.
Eh…
I like some of the actors and I LOVE Jonathan Demme. LIke our fearless leader, I think SOTL and SW are pretty bloody great.
But this is WAY too precious.
This is why I never go to weddings. Not even my brother’s. Both times.
Just call me a rebel………..
Heck, I dunno … if it’s REALLY darkly comic … and Debra Winger is back, it’s probably worth a look …
Yep. I’m sold. We’ll see how it goes. As I said before, the Buddy Holly cover part of the trailer leaves me cold, but that music video nonsense could just be a trailer trick.