Margot at the Wedding *** A great film? No, but certainly a fascinating one. Nicole Kidman's performance is especially engrossing. She's the sibling-from-hell, a mess of contradictions, a woman so unsure of who she is, she undermines her relationships with others without much thought but with plenty of low-level viciousness. So much is left unexplained in the movie. There are hints of an out-of-kilter relationship with her father. There is another sister, dependent on her mother, who may have been the victim of a rape -- or might not have been. There are a marital relationship and an adulterous relationship that both appear on the brink of disintegration. But explanation isn't important here.
Margot's boundaries are permeable to non-existent. Trust and fidelity are fluid. Her sister tells her a secret and elicits Margot's promise of silence. Almost immediately, Margot divulges the secret to one person after another. Later, she, in a matter-of-fact way, suggests to her son, Claude, a possible sexual relationship with her sister's babysitter, Maisy. Claude, mistaking this conversation for a permissive attitude of openness on the part of his mother, later tells her about a masturbatory experience and is confused when she reacts in horror and tells him his conversation is inappropriate. Self-obsessed by her own needs and opinions, Margot is unable to read people accurately. She's quick to label others as child abusers, autistic, or suffering from ADD with little or no evidence to support her opinion.
Several other performances are noteworthy. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Margot's sister Pauline, portrays a woman who hasn't had an easy life -- and Leigh has the courage to look burnt out used in the film. Jack Black shows us again that he's much more than just a funny guy. As Malcolm, the groom in "the wedding," he portrays a ne'er-do-well loser who confidently struts his stuff until his fictions can no longer sustain him. Zane Pais as Claude delivers one of those painful adolescent performances that make it all too easy to remember those awkward years. Finally, although he's only on film for a few minutes, John Turturro contributes another subtle performance, communicating the many problems in his relationship with Margot without ever having to talk about them.
As I said, it's not a great film. For many people, it won't be enjoyable to watch. None of the major characters are particularly likable people. But, if you like watching the portrayal of complex personalities and relationships on film, then this is a movie you'll enjoy.
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