"Rachel Getting Married" - OUTSTANDING Movie!

I love movies. Aside from reading, it's my favorite pastime. Last night, too tired to do anything else, I picked up Rachel Getting Married.

Now this is not a movie that would normally catch my attention. I tend to like films that are a little different, a little off the beaten path, and this movie, with Anne Hathaway, did not appear to be anything that I would enjoy all that much. Having watched a few films featuring Hathaway in the past, I was pretty sure it would not be worth a watch - just not my cup of tea. But, being over tired, indecisive, and just wanting something to veg in front of, I grabbed it, expecting it to deliver some predictable, light fluff.

However, this film knocked my socks off! To say that the work was brilliant would simply not give this film the credit it deserves.

The story and plot are clear cut and simple. Nothing fancy going on here. No smoke and mirrors, no special effects, just a right solid drama that relies on the complexity of the family dynamic to drive it along.

Stylistically, the filming is simple and engaging, capturing a sense of reality that makes you feel like you are right there witnessing the drama unfold. It is intimate, slow moving, and utterly seductive. The smoking gun makes its appearance early and is weaved beautifully through the story line, its details revealed in a gut wrenching, heart numbing shock that bangs home the depth of emotional anguish gripping each family member. The simplicity of its unraveling - superb.

As this film trudges on through its dirty little secrets, the character development is solid and absolutely outstanding from all characters and points of view. Each actor effortlessly revealing a complex, believable character, and in my limited opinion of Hathaway, it's the first time that we are given the absolute privilege of seeing her true potential as an actor (a delicious point of departure I must say!). Though I am a fan of Kate Winslet, I must admit that it is a darned shame that it was Winslet and not Hathaway that snagged the Oscar for best actress in a leading roll this year...

This movie is powerful, simply outstanding, and outstandingly simple. At it's conclusion all you can think is: WOW - what a ride! Rachel Getting Married is not so much entertainment, as we might usually define it, as it is an experience, and though it's a rather unpleasant experience, it's none the less breathtaking. It's the kind of movie that rocks you to the core and that you just can't stop thinking about.

Rachel Getting Married: Worth a watch a dozen times. Simple. Brilliant. Superb.