Rachel Getting Married brightens Venice

Our buddy Nathanial Rogers at The Film Experience called this one on August 3, with his feature prediction, Rachel Getting Married = Hathaway Getting Nominated (and had Anne Hathaway on his long-range radar as far back as March 3, when the movie was called Dancing with Shiva). After its Venice premiere yesterday, critics are catching up to what Nat knew months ago (and possibly all his life):

Brimming with energy, elan and the unpredictability of his “Something Wild,” Jonathan Demme’s triumphant “Rachel Getting Married” may just lay the wedding film to rest, being such a hard act to follow. Amid preparations for a biracial wedding, in comes the bride’s time-bomb of a sister (Anne Hathaway), fresh from a nine-month stay at her umpteenth rehab, ready to open every can of worms in the cupboard. (Variety)

Ultimately, the film belongs to Anne Hathaway. She combines a raw-nerved vulnerability and a showy obnoxiousness for the role of Kym, the prodigal daughter who checks out of an institutional rehab facility in order to attend her sister’s wedding, the psychological scars of her former life still very much on show. (The Times, UK)

Hand-held, free-wheeling and at times joyously spontaneous, the dogme-like Rachel Getting Married sees Jonathan Demme paying tribute to Robert Altman (in particular A Wedding) but there’s such a large dose of music in here it almost forms a genre of its own… 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. (Screen Daily)

The Altman comparisons come up again and again from critics lucky enough to have seen in it Venice, and Rachel Getting Married is gathering considerable momentum as another frontrunner invigorating the festival.