Margot at the Wedding
Noah Baumbach, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black
A dysfunctional family and intense sibling rivalry create a great character study in a well-done, if uncomfortable, film.
Margot at the Wedding stars Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jack Black. It's not typical Jack Black fare and also not what you might expect from director Noah Baumback, whose earlier work includes Kicking and Screaming and Mr. Jealousy. Margot is far more easily compared to Baumbach's 2005 The Squid and the Whale: it has definite merits, but for the most part it is undeniably bleak and depressing.
The Set-Up
Margot (Kidman) takes her young teen son Claude (Zane Pais) out to visit her sister Pauline (Leigh), who is getting married to Malcolm (Black). It's clear from the start there is a tumultous past between the two sisters, though Margot insists she has moved on. It's also quite clear as soon as Malcolm picks them up from the station that he is probably not someone Margot would consider suitable, or worthy, for their family. As soon as they get back to the house, past histories quickly emerge--both within the family as well as with the neighbors and local community. A complicated history is laid bare...and one wonders how these people are going to cope with each other in preparation for a wedding. Sure enough, it's painful viewing.
Complex Characters
The film is expertly done, it's just a question of being able to stomach the unravelling of a badly held together reality. Each character, Margot especially, seems to have infinite layers of neuroses. The two sisters play off each other, knowing their histories, weak spots, their buttons. The nit-picking dialogue is well-written. Margot occasionally even belittles or emasculates her own son with soul-crushing verbal cruelty, only to tell him minutes later how much she loves him.
The acting and the sublimely crafted characters--however unlikable--are the best reason to watch this film. Smaller incidents, sniping comments, unfinished business all culminate into a much bigger problem the audience can easily see coming. What's interesting is how the problem is resolved. Ultimately the film is about personal choices and happiness; despite Margot's seemingly downbeat premise, it has a fairly upbeat and unusual ending.
Not an Easy Watch
Margot at the Wedding is not for everyone. It's not slow or dull, infact it does a remarkable job of enclosing you in its dysfunctional world, with plenty to think on afterwards. But this will be most enjoyed by people who can appreciate well-written characters: realistic but still very unique. It has engaging performances by all and perhaps best of all, a surprise ending with a modicum of hope. Which is one thing the audience probably won't see coming.
