There are a million things in the world of feature films that drive me crazy. Trailers that are better than the films, word of mouth and the hype machine setting impossible expectations from even the best films and big budget films that focus on merchandising rather than content are all bits of kindling that fuel the One Harsh Critic fire. And that's not even accounting for the new staple of new releases - bad acting, bad writing and bad directing. Don't get me started.
But there's something else that drives me completely insane.
I like to cruise a few standard film sites and read the user comments at the ends of articles. I like to get a feel for what the general population thinks of a film. And that's where I find the newest log for the fire.
Often times, people just don't know what they're getting into.
Enter Rachel Getting Married. This is a slice of life -- a look into the troubled lives of a family torn by drug abuse, death and the inability to forgive. Anne Hathaway plays Kym, a drug addict returning for the weekend to be in her sister, Rachel (Rosemarie Dewitt)'s wedding. Kym can't forgive herself for the damage she has caused her family and inadvertently takes the spotlight from her sister's big day. This film is dark, it's real and for what it is, Rachel Getting Married is a success for director Jonathan Demme.
But people are complaining out of ignorance. So I, One Harsh Critic, am here to offer some warnings:
•1) Yes... This movie is shot on a hand held camera. Get over it. It's not like we're riding ATV's across a mine field. This is a wedding. Yes, there's some shaky camera work, but it's not that bad. People claiming sea sickness and the inability to finish the film need to not see a film like this. It's an artistic choice to use this kind of camera, and I personally think, it helps create a much more intimate feel for the film. It's as though we're videographers, granted access into the inter-sanctum of this family's heartache. Jonathan Demme made a choice, and I think it was a good one. So deal with it, or don't see this film.
•2) Yes... This feels like you're at a wedding. That's the point. Come on, people! Its called Rachel Getting Married. Sure, its simple. There are no frills, no bells and whistles. This is a look at life. It's a showcase of, what I consider to be very good acting. When you're done, you'll feel like you've been to a wedding. Plain and simple. So, when user postings complain that they feel like they've just attended a horribly dark wedding, and that's a bad thing, they've missed the point. Get ready for a look at a wedding day. Get ready to be a fly on the wall for very real and normal problems. If you want something else... Go see Anne's other wedding movie, Bride Wars.
You've been warned. While I don't understand the Oscar buzz, I DO think Rachel Getting Married is a sucuess as Anne Hathaway shows a side rarely seen. Her character is very troubled in a very real way, and it shows. I think that Jonathan Demme made a film that is very much a look into the lives of one woman's wedding day. I think writer Jenny Lemut penned a seamless script. This is a decent film.
Now you know... If you don't want an artsy film, don't go see this expecting it to be anything else. You'll be disappointed.
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Josh Gloer, Movie Correspondent
You can find Josh's column One Harsh Critic, published every other Sunday. Tuesday, Friday... Who can tell at this point? at http://oneharshcritic.gather.com.
You can keep up with Josh's postings and his Gather activity by joining his Gather network. Just click here: http://filmmaker1997.gather.com, and then select the orange "connect" button on the left hand side of the page.
You can find Josh and other Movie Correspondents, celebrity content and connect with other movie buffs at Movies.Gather.com.
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Comments: 17
she has that look