DVD Review: Margot at the Wedding

By Jeff Swindoll Feb 20, 2008, 15:34 GMT

Margot Zeller (Academy Award® winner NICOLE KIDMAN), a savagely bright, razor-tongued short-story writer who creates chaos wherever she goes, sets off on a surprise journey to the wedding of her estranged and free-spirited, unassuming sister Pauline (Golden Globe® nominee JENNIFER JASON LEIGH). ...more

A comedy that might not be funny unless you’ve got a dark sense of humor explores the familial relationships that come to a head over a weekend where a wedding is supposed to occur.  

Margot (Nicole Kidman) and her son Claude (Zane Pais) are going to Margot’s childhood home for her sister’s wedding.  Pauline (Jennifer Jason Leigh), her sister, is marrying unemployed artist Malcolm (Jack Black).  Margot and Pauline have been estranged and Pauline hopes that his reunion might be able to mend some fences, but the acid tongued Margot doesn’t exactly approve of Pauline’s choice of husband. 

However, things are not exactly perfect in Margot’s life as she is running away from her husband Jim (John Turturro) are separating but she’s yet to tell Claude.  She’s also keeping her ulterior reason for actually coming to the wedding in that she’s having an affair with fellow author Dick Koosman (Ciaran Hinds) who just happens to have a vacation home down the road from Pauline’s house. 

The neurotic Margot finally lets Pauline know that she thinks of her choice in men and the wedding threatens to go down the tubes, if the dying tree that the neighbors are complaining about doesn’t fall over and crush them all.  

Margot at the Wedding is the blackest of black comedies and the characters are so neurotic and annoying that you’ll have no problem laughing at them.  Margot is not a film to take seriously at all and if you do then you’ll probably come away scratching your head in disappointment. 

The film is very character driven and if the mood strikes you right you might follow along, heaven help you if you can equate your own life when the madness that inhabits those you find here.  Margot considers herself the smartest person in the room, but what you find is that she’s possible the most screwed up person in the room and only happy to pass on her neurosis and barbed remarks to her immediate family. 

The acting is great, but if you can’t connect with the characters then you might have a hard time connecting with the film.  There are some amusing bits, but this again depends on if you “get” the film or not.  I found myself being amused by the situations, but found very little to like in the characters so maybe my amusement was from seeing the same characters being hoisted by their own petards.

The film is definitely an acquired taste and those looking for their typical Nicole Kidman film might be a bit shocked by what they get.  

Margot at the Wedding is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. 

Special features include a 13-minute interview with director Noah Baumbach and Jennifer Jason Leigh.  Otherwise there are two trailers for the film and a collection of other Paramount DVD trailers.  

Margot at the Wedding is a good movie if the mood strikes you right, but the unlikable characters will put some off.  

Margot at the Wedding is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.