Rachel Getting Married **
Jonathan Demme, 2008
US
@ Egyptian Theater

Margot at the Wedding felt to me like great black comedy, whereas this was just black for long stretches, although perfectly leavened by key scenes. The dishwasher bit was my favorite, better even than anything at the wedding. I've read complaints about the handheld camera work, and I don't always appreciate that style, but here it works very well to bring us closer to the characters and, I think, maintain an element of surprise. The characters are so bitter and the tone so wrenching that the reconciliation didn't feel rote here like it usually does.

See also: IMDb

Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains **
Jonathan Demme, 2007
US
@ home on DVD

This works fairly well both as a primer on Jimmy Carter the public figure, though it's not exactly thorough in that regard, and very well on Jimmy Carter the citizen. Both are of course up for interpretation and this is just one view. It almost feels like a trifle.

See also: IMDb | Metacritic