New from Jonathan Demme is this emotionally charged independent drama dealing with addiction, mental illness and family dysfunction, with a hip and happening circus of a wedding as its colourful, chaotic backdrop.
Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt) is part of an intensely creative and intellectual American family who for many years have been living under the weight of grief. She’s planned the perfect wedding to her fiance Sidney (TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe) at her parents’ (Debra Winger, Bill Irwin) gorgeous family home. Then her wayward younger sister Kim (Anne Hathaway, playing against type) arrives, fresh out of rehab. What could possibly go wrong?
Despite having all the ingredients of a more mainstream film, Demme captures raw emotion and chemistry from his excellent cast, with scenes that are moving and never saccharine. Handheld camera work adds to the intimacy and authenticity of what is tipped to be one of the big indie titles of the winter.