Margot at the Wedding (2007)

Margot and her son Claude decide to visit her sister Pauline after she announces that she is getting married to less-than-impressive Malcolm. In short order, the storm the sisters create leaves behind a a mess of thrashed relationships and exposed family secrets.

Director:

Noah Baumbach

Writer:

Noah Baumbach

Stars:

Zane Pais, Nicole Kidman, Flora Cross

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Zane Pais	...	Claude
Susan Blackwell	...	Woman on Train
Nicole Kidman	...	Margot
Jack Black	...	Malcolm
Flora Cross	...	Ingrid
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Pauline
Seth Barrish	...	Toby
Matthew Arkin	...	Alan
Brian Kelley	...	Bruce
Christian Hansen	...	Fireman
Michael Cullen	...	Mr. Vogler
Enid Graham	...	Mrs. Vogler
Sophie Nyweide	...	Vogler Daughter
Justin Roth	...	Vogler Son
Ciarán Hinds	...	Dick Koosman

Storyline

A slice of family life: sisters, husbands, children, history, secrets, jealousies. Margot and her teen son, Claude, travel from Manhattan to her family's Long Island home, occupied by sister Pauline, Pauline's daughter, and Malcolm, the slacker Pauline will marry outdoors that week under a tree neighbors want removed. Backbiting marks family discussion, particularly between the sisters and in Margot's cutting remarks to Claude. Pauline tells Margot a secret that Margot promptly tells Claude. Margot dislikes Malcolm and undermines him. She also has marital problems and a lover nearby. People are cruel, inside and outside their families. Is there a refuge for Margot or for Pauline?

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Plot Keywords:

secret | family secret | jealousy | tree | neighbor | 

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Taglines:

One family. Infinite degrees of separation.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 2008 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Untitled Noah Baumbach Project

Filming Locations:

City Island, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$81,035 (USA) (16 November 2007)

Gross:

$1,956,291 (USA) (25 January 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scott Rudin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nicole Kidman, Jack Black and Jennifer Jason Leigh moved in together during filming, because they wanted to perfect their roles as a dysfunctional family

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Goofs

Nicole Kidman's hair color repeatedly switches back and forth between dark brown and lighter reddish-brown.

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Quotes

Pauline: I was dating that guy Horace back then. Do you remember him?
Margot: Was that the guy who liked to rough you up?
Pauline: No, that was our dad.
Margot: Our dad used to strip down to his skivvies and beat us with a belt.
Malcolm: That man had a sexual screw loose.
Pauline: That's awful, that stuff that happens to kids. Malcolm was fondled by a male babysitter.
Malcolm: Just use that information however you want.

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Connections

References Barely Legal All Stars 1 (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Northern Blue"
Written & Performed by Dean Wareham & Britta Phillips

User Reviews

One of the darkest, most complex films I've seen in a while

I just saw Margot at the Wedding at the Telluride Film Festival. My first reaction was that I liked it, but not as much as The Squid and the Whale. My friends and I started talking about it afterwards though and we ended up staying up nearly all night talking about it. It has some funny moments but it is DEFINITELY not a true comedy. It is one of darkest films I've seen in a while. It seems like a simple story but the more you think about it, the more you realize is there. There is definitely a Bergmaninfluence here, especially from Persona, which Noah Baumbach confirmed when I talked to him at the festival. Nicole Kidman's and Jennifer Jason Leigh's characters are sisters, but there came a point where they almost seemed to be extensions of the exact same character. The characters inhabit a very bizarre world filled with clues about doubles, pedophilia, possibly incest, and more. Baumbach didn't necessarily agree with everything I and some other students said about some of the film's meanings, but he did acknowledge that he was glad we were making our own interpretations and that any interpretation was legit. Overall the more I think about this movie and discuss it with my friends, the more I admire it for its darkness and depth. The script is really sharp with many subtle references and the performances are all very impressive. Just keep an open mind and discuss it afterwards to really get to the bottom of some of the film's rich complexities. See it!