Rachel Getting Married… in the Longest Movie Ever
Rachel Getting Married was a dreadful movie filled with dreadful people.
Because I want you to keep reading this blog, I promise not to go on about…
- The twenty-minute world music wedding reception without dialogue or the endless scenes of self-indulgent toasts.
- The fact that it felt like one of those Danish dogma films that are meant to punish the viewer.
- How the film featured the most PC wedding possible by blending every world culture imaginable into an incoherent cocktail of celluloid.
Now, I’m not judging the wedding itself… people can do whatever they want to celebrate their union. Unless, of course, they plan on screening Rachel Getting Married.
So there were two pieces of good news that came from the movie:
I’m extra happy we are planning a simple, uncomplicated ceremony at the end of the road trip. Again, not judging anyone else, I ‘m just glad we’re not requiring all of our guests to make a toast, play a musical instrument, or make a quilt. It’s just a beach, a sunset, some food, some alcohol, and a DJ who will not play any 70s funk on threat of death.
After watching the film, I was reminded of how much I love Jaime’s family. I’m not just saying that because they read this blog. Rather, they are nice, good, straightforward, caring, and giving people, none of whom have a heroin addiction or the need to have a “who can fill the dishwasher the fastest” contest. I’m not filled with dread at the thought of visiting any of them on the road trip or hosting them at the wedding.
Unless, of course, Jaime has a psycho sister in rehab that I haven’t met yet. In that case, I rescind point #2 and ask you all to please tell me now, before it’s too late!
Side Note: On our road trip, we’ll be asking people about their in-laws, how well they get along, inevitable patterns or problems, and stories of great (and not so great) family members gained through marriage. If you’ve got anything you want to share before we leave, feel free to leave a comment!
Tags: wedding movies
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Have you guys allotted extra time for advice and answers from us? Obviously you are going to need to budget in at least another day.a
I like my in-laws ok. But it’s easier for me to deal with because they live two countries away. I only have to see them like once every two years.
As I mentioned on Facebook… “Benjamin Button and Rachel Getting Married should mate and make long, boring movie babies.” I can’t believe how self-indulgent it was- there is a scene where they show 20 rehearsal dinner wedding toasts in a row- very few of which are entertaining. It’s like attending a long lost relative’s wedding- a relative that you never liked in the first place.
Jaime doesn’t have secret sister- but she has a few college friends you might want to watch out for… hehehehe.
Glad I skipped that movie!
Um, Jaime and I totally have “who can fill the dishwasher the fastest” contests at home. And then we do heroin. Just thought you should know.
Note to my mother: Janet was kidding. I swear we never have a dishwasher loading contest.
Why? I mean WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU EVEN SEE THAT MOVIE?? Even as a joke. Really Case, sometimes I don’t even know you
Disagree. I thought the toast scene was worthwhile for the following reasons:
1) The viewer feels a lot like Kym does - in that you’re in the inside with this group (like she’s with her family), but there’s a lot of tension at simultaneously feeling like a total outsider. I felt like they did a great job of conveying the tension.
2) All the toasts were really awkward and yet realistic. Again, adding to that feeling of “I’m in way deeper than I should be with these people”.
I totally agree that the World Music and and PC elements were over the top, but I have been to a few weddings with white upper middle class (if not flat out upper class) folk with live “world music”. But then again, maybe that was the idea - playing lipservice to harmony while there’s a lot of conflict. Not to mention that it took place in Connecticut.
Maybe it was just a study of the different types of self-absorption - Kym’s and her sister’s. Like which one is sanctioned vs. which one is actually merited. Neither, likely - but that’s what we are. People just trying to get by, and we’re not always perfect. (Kym’s behavior in the beginning was totally out of line though, no doubt).
I mean, I liked the movie - thought it was more interesting than the typical formulaic relationship/wedding-as-a-completely-implausible-fantasy-crap movie that gets rammed down our throats these days (which makes me wonder if those wedding movies are designed to just push the wedding industry and its excesses on us even further, by reinforcing, if not full-on defining the taken-for-granted terms by which we eventhink about weddings), although it did have moments where it tried too hard and went over the top.
I guess weddings should be more expressions of our basic humanity than the consume-o-fests that they have become, and I feel that the movie reflected that. At Rachel’s wedding, all the outside trappings seemed weird and unnecessary, whereas the nitty gritty human interraction was what the story was all about.
Now, pardon me while I go back to coordinating our shuttle, rings, Djs, invitations, gifts, wine, cake, flowers and especially thank you cards from weddingdivas.com.
Hi, I like your blog! Found it on Google when I was looking for wedding entrance dance.