---
title: "Rachel Getting Married"
year: 2008
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/rachel-getting-married"
fi1m_id: "rachel-getting-married"
imdb_id: "tt1084950"
tmdb_id: 14976
wikidata_id: "Q1117613"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 77
critics_reviews: 10
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:44.324904+00:00"
region: "PH"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Directed by Jonathan Demme · 1h 53m · Drama, Romance

## Identity

Rachel Getting Married

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/rachel-getting-married
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** rachel-getting-married
- **IMDb ID:** tt1084950
- **TMDB ID:** 14976
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1117613
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1084950/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/14976, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117613

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 77 from 10 reviews

*In a sentence:* A family wedding where another song is usually safer than another conversation

> Anne Hathaway makes a difficult wedding guest painfully convincing in Jonathan Demme’s warm, restless family drama. The celebrations run long, but the performances make this worth the awkwardness.

## Synopsis

Rachel Buchman (Rosemarie DeWitt) is getting married, and her younger sister Kym (Anne Hathaway) brings her own troubles to the family gathering. Kym is a recovering addict whose need for attention unsettles an occasion meant to centre on Rachel. As the wedding celebrations bring people together, the sisters find old grievances and familiar family roles difficult to put aside. Bill Irwin plays Paul Buchman, Debra Winger plays Abby Buchman and Tunde Adebimpe plays Sidney Williams in Jonathan Demme’s drama, written by Jenny Lumet.

## Review

Jonathan Demme’s *Rachel Getting Married* lets a family wedding become uncomfortable without making the whole occasion seem a terrible idea. We recommend it for the patience it gives these people, including the ones who are testing everybody else’s. Rachel is the bride, but her younger sister Kym, a recovering addict played by Anne Hathaway, keeps drawing attention away from her. Jenny Lumet’s screenplay understands how quickly a gathering can revive family roles that nobody has agreed to keep playing.

Hathaway makes Kym difficult company without turning her into an exercise in unpleasantness. The self-deprecation does not make Kym easier to be around; it can be another way of insisting that everyone look at her. We winced at it, because Hathaway makes Kym’s dislike of herself sound like a demand for reassurance from people already worn out by her. The performance stays loose enough for Kym to surprise us, and for us to understand why her family keeps trying.

Rosemarie DeWitt matters just as much to the film’s success. Her Rachel gives the wedding a centre outside Kym’s troubles, making the wish for a day that belongs to somebody else entirely understandable. Bill Irwin and Debra Winger bring enough weariness to the family scenes to make the affection convincing. Demme gives the ensemble room to react, so that irritation does not settle into a fixed judgement on any one person.

Declan Quinn’s hand-held photography keeps us close enough to the gathering to feel the strain of staying polite. The restless framing can be disorientating, but it is convincing as the view of another guest trying to follow a conversation. Ford Wheeler’s production design works best as part of that crowded wedding atmosphere, never distracting us from the people. Demme’s apparently unplanned approach makes room for the pleasure of simply watching people together.

Lumet’s screenplay does rely on familiar ingredients: the troubled relative, the stored-up resentment, the occasion that everybody hopes will be different. Some of the disputes could belong to a more routine family drama, and the writing does not always match the individuality of the performances. Demme’s willingness to linger with the guests gives the film opportunities to be funny and affectionate away from Kym’s difficulties.

Music is essential to that warmth. Donald Harrison Jr. and Zafer Tawil’s contributions are heard within the celebration, giving the gathering a pleasure that does not depend on Kym becoming easier company. We were moved by the wedding music, because the film lets people enjoy being together while their difficulties remain unresolved. Editor Tim Squyres allows these passages time to develop, but he and Demme also let them continue beyond the point at which the pleasure has registered. At 113 minutes, the film feels longer than it needs to.

The sisters are worth watching together, especially for anyone tired of family dramas that make it easy to choose a side. Hathaway may draw the eye, but DeWitt keeps us thinking about the person whose occasion this is. Leave time for a conversation afterwards; agreement about Kym is unlikely.

*Fi1m score 84, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics welcome Rachel Getting Married as a warm, sometimes painful family drama, with praise centred on Anne Hathaway’s performance as the troubled Kym. The reviews find her convincing in the character’s neediness, self-loathing and capacity to disrupt her sister’s wedding, while also crediting the ensemble with making the family tensions feel real. Jonathan Demme’s loose, handheld staging earns broad approval for its intimacy, and the music and wedding celebrations bring welcome warmth to the conflict.

Reservations centre on length and focus, particularly when the celebrations stretch out. Sight and Sound finds the wedding sequence overextended, while Slant sees a conventional family-dysfunction screenplay made more interesting by Demme’s staging and communal scenes. The spread is mostly favourable rather than evenly divided: IndieWire offers a clear dissent, rejecting the approach to family drama and performance that most critics find persuasive.

## Straight answers

**Is Rachel Getting Married worth watching?**

*Rachel Getting Married* is worth watching for anyone who likes family dramas that refuse to pick a side, and we scored it 84. Anne Hathaway and Rosemarie DeWitt make the sisters equally convincing, and the wedding scenes are warm as well as awkward. The celebrations run longer than they need to.

**How long is Rachel Getting Married, and what is it rated?**

*Rachel Getting Married* runs 1h 53m. It is a drama and romance film.

**Where can I watch Rachel Getting Married in the Philippines?**

*Rachel Getting Married* is streaming on Netflix in the Philippines. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Rachel Getting Married, and is it suitable for children?**

*Rachel Getting Married* is not violent or frightening, but it is an adult drama built around a recovering addict and old family grievances, and it carries an R certificate in the United States. Expect strong language and painful arguments rather than anything gory. It is suitable for older teenagers with patience for talk; younger children will find little to hold them.

**How does Rachel Getting Married compare to Secrets & Lies?**

*Rachel Getting Married* and [*Secrets & Lies*](https://film.one/film/secrets-and-lies) both let family grievances play out without telling us whom to blame, and both rest on two strong central performances. Mike Leigh's film is the tighter and more painful of the two; Demme's is looser and warmer, with wedding music and a hand-held camera that keep it close to the crowd. Choose Leigh for concentration, Demme for company.

**What should I watch after Rachel Getting Married?**

After *Rachel Getting Married*, try [*Monsoon Wedding*](https://film.one/film/monsoon-wedding) (2001, Fi1m 80): A crowded wedding, competing loyalties and room for pleasure amid family distress. Then [*Secrets & Lies*](https://film.one/film/secrets-and-lies) (1996, Fi1m 88): For patient performances and family grievances that resist an easy allocation of blame; and [*The Celebration*](https://film.one/film/the-celebration) (1998, Fi1m 85): A much harsher family party, where formal hospitality does nothing to contain resentment.

### Reviews we read (15)

- **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (5/5): Demme returns to freewheeling indie form with an intimate, participatory comedy-drama that overwhelms through its captured-reality technique and diegetic music. It is long and unfocused but exhilarating for those who surrender to it. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/rachel-getting-married)
- **The AV Club**, Scott Tobias (85/100, inferred): Demme is at his most humane, capturing warmth and compassion amid family tensions without villains. The film harnesses genuine love and good feeling at the wedding, making it a vibrant, moving party despite underlying pain. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/rachel-getting-married-1798204965)
- **Evening Standard** (80/100, inferred): The critic praises Anne Hathaway's loose-limbed, self-loathing performance as the havoc-wreaking ex-junkie Kym alongside Jonathan Demme's unrehearsed, home-movie approach to filming the family wedding weekend. Strong turns from Debra Winger, Bill Irwin and Rosemarie DeWitt are highlighted, as is the film's shifting incidental music that heightens emotional beats. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/relationship-test-in-rachel-getting-married-7438933.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Ellen E Jones (2/4/4): Hathaway delivers a sensational turn as the troubled Kym in this warm, observant family drama full of moving and funny moments. The script excels at depicting family dynamics and roles, making it an unpretentious and inviting watch despite some longueurs. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/rachel-getting-married)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): Hand-held and spontaneous, the film pays tribute to Altman with superb performances, especially Hathaway, though its length and musical interludes may limit commercial appeal. It feels fresh and assured overall. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/rachel-getting-married/4040522.article)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Deborah Young (80/100, inferred): Demme brings honest cinema and lightness of touch to family conflict, balancing smiles and tears at a wedding. Hathaway delivers an award-worthy central performance that gives the script room to avoid genre clichés. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/rachel-getting-married-2-125766/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Andrew Schenker (3/4): Demme offsets the screenplay's conventional suburban dysfunction with disorienting handheld staging and warm communal set pieces. The split between drab narrative and celebratory wedding warmth works in the film's favor, leaving viewers with a generous embrace of humanity. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/rachel-getting-married/)
- **IndieWire**, Michael Koresky (30/100, inferred): The review takes a negative stance on Demme's film, declining to embrace its approach to family drama and performance. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-we-regretfully-decline-jonathan-demmes-rachel-getting-married-71664/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan: The critic welcomes the film as a return to Demme's independent roots and praises Hathaway's career-changing turn as the ultra-troubled Kym, along with the ensemble's edgy realism. It singles out the mix of bitter and sweet elements, with music providing joy amid family turmoil. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-rachel3-2008oct03-story.html)
- **Sight and Sound**, Philip Kemp: The film is both a loose, freewheeling return to form and overextended self-indulgence. It excels in tracking family tensions through restless camerawork and strong performances but loses focus in its lengthy celebratory wedding sequence. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/4725)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: The critic praises Demme's loose, home-movie style and the authentic, overemotional performances that make the family dynamics feel real. Hathaway excels as the needy, limelight-seeking recovering addict who opens old wounds at her sister's wedding. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jan/23/rachel-getting-married-film-review-anne-hathaway)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott: The critic notes that the film centers on the troubled younger sister Kym despite the title, praising Anne Hathaway's magnetic and un-princessy performance as a damaged, narcissistic figure. It highlights the movie's authentic vitality and expansive sympathies amid familiar themes of addiction and family dysfunction. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/movies/03rach.html)
- **The Times**, Edward Porter: The critic highlights Hathaway's fine, convincing performance as the selfish, self-deprecating Kym and praises the excellent cast and Demme's fizzy, skilful staging of the wedding proceedings and family tensions. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/rachel-getting-married-s0vvvn60hm8)
- **Paste**, Robert Davis (85/100, inferred): The film is a strong, authentic portrait of family dynamics that succeeds through its patient, documentary-like structure and ensemble performances. Hathaway's fierce yet nuanced turn as the troubled Kym stands out as a highlight amid the wedding celebrations and emotional tensions. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/jonathan-demme/rachel-getting-married-1)
- **Eye for Film**, Chris (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film an honest, intense family drama with documentary-like realism that rewards viewers seeking substance over rom-com formulas. They single out Anne Hathaway's raw, unadorned performance as the standout element that makes the story compelling despite its challenges. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/rachel-getting-married-film-review-by-chris)

## Details

- **Director:** Jonathan Demme
- **Director:** Jonathan Demme
- **Writer:** Jenny Lumet
- **Cinematography:** Declan Quinn
- **Editor:** Tim Squyres
- **Music:** Donald Harrison Jr., Zafer Tawil
- **Production design:** Ford Wheeler
- **Costume design:** Susan Lyall
- **Producer:** Marc Platt, Jonathan Demme, Neda Armian
- **Cast:** Anne Hathaway as Kym Buchman; Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel Buchman; Bill Irwin as Paul Buchman; Debra Winger as Abby Buchman; Tunde Adebimpe as Sidney Williams; Mather Zickel as Kieran; Anna Deavere Smith as Carol; Anisa George as Emma
- **Runtime:** 1h 53m
- **First release (Italy):** 3 September 2008
- **Genres:** Drama, Romance
- **Budget:** $12 million
- **Box office:** $17 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wDDgSwEo1s

## Where to watch in the Philippines

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2009: Best Actress (nominated)
- Independent Spirit Awards 2009: Best Director (nominated); Best Female Lead (nominated); Best First Screenplay (nominated); Best Supporting Female (nominated)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture 2009: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture (nominated)
- SAG Awards 2009: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (nominated)
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress 2008: Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress (won)
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast 2008: Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast (nominated)
- Golden Globes 2008: Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama (nominated)
- National Board of Review Award for Best Actress 2008: National Board of Review Award for Best Actress (won)
- Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture 2008: Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture (nominated)
- Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture 2008: Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (won)
- Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress 2008: Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress (won)
- Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Director 2008: Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Director (won)

## If you liked this

- *Monsoon Wedding* (2001), Fi1m 80: A crowded wedding, competing loyalties and room for pleasure amid family distress. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/monsoon-wedding.md)
- *Secrets & Lies* (1996), Fi1m 88: For patient performances and family grievances that resist an easy allocation of blame. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/secrets-and-lies.md)
- *Still Walking* (2008): Family resentments emerge through domestic routines, with quieter voices and comparable sympathy.
- *The Celebration* (1998), Fi1m 85: A much harsher family party, where formal hospitality does nothing to contain resentment. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-celebration.md)
- *A Woman Under the Influence* (1974), Fi1m 86: Another difficult, compassionate encounter with a woman her family cannot comfortably accommodate. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/rachel-getting-married