''Margot at the Wedding'' is a 2007 American comedy-drama film written and directed by

Noah Baumbach Noah Baumbach () (born September 3, 1969) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for making witty and intellectual comedies set in New York City and has often been compared to writer-directors such as Woody Allen and Whit Sti ...

. It stars

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...

Jennifer Jason Leigh Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough as Stacy Hamilton in ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982). She ...

Jack Black Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for his acting roles in the films '' High Fidelity'' (2000), ''Shallow Hal'' (2001), ''Orange County'' (2002), '' School of Rock'' (2003), ''E ...

John Turturro John Michael Turturro (; born February 28, 1957) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his contributions to the independent film movement. He has appeared in over sixty feature films and has worked frequently with the Coen brothers, ...

Ciarán Hinds Ciarán Hinds (; born 9 February 1953) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Hinds is known for a range of screen and stage roles. He has starred in feature films including '' The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover'' (1989), ''Persuasion'' (19 ...

and

Halley Feiffer Halley Feiffer (born November 20, 1984) is an American actress and playwright. Early life and education Feiffer was raised in a Jewish family, the daughter of famed satirist and cartoonist Jules Feiffer, and writer, actor, and comedian Jenny Alle ...

. The film is about the familial storm that arises when Margot, a writer, comes to visit her sister Pauline on the eve of her wedding. The film premiered on August 31, 2007 at the 34th

Telluride Film Festival The Telluride Film Festival (TFF) is a film festival held annually in Telluride, Colorado during Labor Day weekend (the first Monday in September). The 49th edition took place on September 2 -6, 2022. History First held on 30 August 1974, th ...

and was released in the United States on December 7, 2007.

Plot

Margot is a successful but self-absorbed writer; it is suggested that she has

borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), is a personality disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of unstable interpersonal relationships, distorted sense of self, and strong ...

. She brings her 11-year-old son Claude to spend a weekend visiting her free-spirited sister Pauline on the eve of her wedding to Malcolm at their home on Long Island, New York. Margot disapproves of Pauline's choice of fiancé: Malcolm is an unsuccessful musician whom Margot considers "completely unattractive". While in town, Margot will be interviewed in a local bookstore by Dick Koosman, a successful author with whom she is collaborating on a screenplay. Dick's teenage daughter Maisy also visits the house. Margot and Pauline have an uneasy relationship. Margot disapproves of her life-choices - besides marrying Malcolm, she is pregnant, a fact that she has not shared with Malcolm or her pre-teen daughter Ingrid. Pauline, meanwhile, resents Margot for writing and publishing thinly-disguised stories about her life. She is also incensed when she shares secrets told to her in confidence, including her pregnancy. Rather than confront each other, Pauline and Margot take out their frustrations on Malcolm and Claude, respectively. Tensions come to a head twice. Margot's interview goes disastrously wrong when Dick's questions become personal. While Pauline interrogates him about emails he received from one of her 20-year-old students, Malcolm admits he kissed Maisy. Returning to the house, Pauline finds her inside. Alhough she says nothing, it is obvious to Maisy that Pauline knows the truth. When Dick finds out what happened, he chases and beats Malcolm. Margot and Pauline get into a heated argument, unleashing years of resentment. Following a climactic moment, the women leave with their children, leaving Malcolm behind. After the car runs off the road due to malfunctioning brakes, Pauline defecates in her skirt and removes her soiled underwear. The next day, Pauline calls Malcolm, intent on breaking up with him. When he begs for forgiveness, she gives in and takes him back. Margot decides to stay with her sister and puts Claude on a bus to Vermont so he can live with his father. As the bus pulls away with him, she has a change of heart and chases after it. Taking a seat next to a surprised Claude, Margot catches her breath.

Cast

as Margot *

as Pauline *

as Malcolm *

as Jim *

as Dick Koosman *

as Maisy Koosman * Seth Barrish as Toby * Michael Cullen as Mr. Volger * Enid Graham as Mrs. Volger * Zane Pais as Claude *

Flora Cross Flora Cross (born January 11, 1993) is a French-American actress. Personal life Cross was born in Paris, France. Her father, Joseph Cross, is a journalist. Flora is Jewish.Bloom, NateInterfaith Family: "Interfaith Celebrities: Santa's Jewish ...

as Ingrid

Production

Noah Baumbach originally wanted to title the film ''Nicole at the Beach'', in reference to

French New Wave French New Wave (french: La Nouvelle Vague) is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconocla ...

director

Éric Rohmer Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the post-World ...

's ''

Pauline at the Beach ''Pauline at the Beach'' (french: Pauline à la plage) is a 1983 French romantic comedy film directed by Éric Rohmer. The film stars Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Greggory and Féodor Atkine. It is the third in the 1980s series "Comed ...

''. The title was changed when Nicole Kidman was cast. During filming, Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Zane Pais, and Jack Black lived in a house together in order to perfect the roles of a dysfunctional family. Of her character Margot, Kidman said “I hope you see that the spikiness and the guardedness and the anger is actually a manifestation of her need to protect herself. She’s not in a safe place, really, because her sister doesn’t know how to take care of her, and she doesn’t know how to take care of her sister...They feel like they should be very, very close, but they actually do not bring out the best in each other." ''Margot at the Wedding'' was shot from April–June 2006 in various locations in New York locations, including Shelter Island, Hampton Bays, East Quogue, Long Island and City Island, Bronx.

Soundtrack

Dean Wareham Dean Wareham (born 1 August 1963) is an American musician and actor who formed the band Galaxie 500 in 1987. He left Galaxie 500 in April 1991 and founded the band Luna. Since Luna's breakup in 2005, Wareham has released albums with fellow Lun ...

and

Britta Phillips Britta Phillips (born June 11, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and actress. Phillips' music career spans more than 30 years. She came to prominence in the mid-1980s as the singing voice of the title character ...

acted as the film's music consultants, and the film "features the more obscure singer-songwriters that Baumbach is obsessed with...like

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post- Dylan folkie

Steve Forbert Samuel Stephen "Steve" Forbert (born December 13, 1954) is an American pop music singer-songwriter. His 1979 song "Romeo's Tune" reached No. 11 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary Chart. It also ...

, British singer-songwriter and occasional

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

guest

Lesley Duncan Lesley Cox (née Duncan; 12 August 1943 – 12 March 2010) was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her work during the 1970s. She received much airplay on British radio stations such as BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, but never achieved ...

, Brooklyn-born singer songwriter

Evie Sands Evie Sands (born July 18, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. Sands' music career spans more than 50 years. She began her career as a teenager in the mid-1960s. After a rocky start, she eventually found chart success in 1969, be ...

(covered both

Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...

and

Beth Orton Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician, known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall, ...

) and New York anti-folk artist

Diane Cluck Diane Cluck is an American singer-songwriter. She describes her music as "intuitive folk". She currently resides in Virginia. Early life Cluck was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She began taking piano lessons at the age of 7, and was classi ...

." * "Northern Blue" by

* "Romeo's Tune" by

* "

Go Tell Aunt Rhody "Go Tell Aunt Rhody" is an English language folk song of nineteenth-century American origin. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 3346. The tune is older, dating to the 18th century. It originated as a gavotte in the 1752 opera ''Le devin ...

" performed by

* "Genesis" by

Jorma Kaukonen Jorma Ludwik Kaukonen, Jr. (; ; born December 23, 1940) is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist. Kaukonen performed with Jefferson Airplane and still performs regularly on tour with Hot Tuna, which started as a side project with bassist J ...

* "One Fine Summer Morning" performed by

* "Goin' Down to Laurel" by Steve Forbert * " The Wagon" by

Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984, originally simply called Dinosaur until legal issues forced a change in name. The band was founded by J Mascis (guitar, vocals, primary songwriter), Lou Barlow ( ...

* "Dear Mary" by

Steve Miller Band The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in 1966 in San Francisco, California. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles t ...

* "See How We Are" performed by X * "Sunday Girl" performed by Zane Pais * "Everything Changes" by

* "

Union City Blue "Union City Blue" is a song by the American New wave music, new wave band Blondie (band), Blondie. The song was featured on their 1979 studio album ''Eat to the Beat''. Written by Debbie Harry and Nigel Harrison, the song was inspired lyrically by ...

" by Blondie * " You and Me" by

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

* " Clair" by

Gilbert O'Sullivan Raymond Edward "Gilbert" O'Sullivan (born 1 December 1946) is an Irish singer-songwriter who achieved his most significant success during the early 1970s with hits including "Alone Again (Naturally)", " Clair", and " Get Down". O'Sullivan's s ...

* "Easy to Be Around" by

* "Nothing Is Wrong" performed by

The dB's The dB's are an American alternative rock and power pop group, who formed in New York City in 1978 and first came to prominence in the early 1980s. Their debut album, '' Stands for Decibels'', is often acclaimed as one of the greatest "lost" powe ...

* "That's All for Everyone" by

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...

* "On and On" performed by Michael Medeiros * "Teen Angel" by

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

* "Something on Your Mind" performed by

Karen Dalton Karen may refer to: * Karen (name), a given name and surname * Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors People * Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand ** Karen languages or Karenic l ...

Release and reception

The film premiered August 31, 2007 at the 34th

. It was also shown at the

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...

, the

New York Film Festival The New York Film Festival (NYFF) is a film festival held every fall in New York City, presented by Film at Lincoln Center (FLC). Founded in 1963 by Richard Roud and Amos Vogel with the support of Lincoln Center president William Schuman, it is ...

, and the

Mill Valley Film Festival The Mill Valley Film Festival is an annual American film festival founded in 1977. History In October 1977, Mark Fishkin, Rita Cahill and Lois Cole organized a three-day film festival. It featured three film tributes, Francis Ford Coppola's ''T ...

. The film opened in limited release in the United States on November 16, 2007. It opened in Australia on February 21, 2008 and in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2008. The film grossed $2 million in the United States and Canada and a total of $2.9 million worldwide.

Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 52% based on 168 reviews, with an average rating of 5.62/10. The website's critical consensus reads "Despite a great cast, the characters in ''Margot at the Wedding'' are too unlikable to enthrall viewers." Metacritic gives the film an average score of 66 out of 100, based on 37 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". A positive review in ''The Guardian'' in Britain compared the film to the director's previous film, stating: "''Margot at the Wedding'', (is) an intelligent, subtle new movie by American writer-director Noah Baumbach, who made a considerable impression three years ago with ''

The Squid and the Whale ''The Squid and the Whale'' is a 2005 American independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach and produced by Wes Anderson. It tells the semi-autobiographical story of two boys in Brooklyn dealing with their parents' divorc ...

'', his first film to reach this country. ''The Squid'' was a witty, affecting and painfully truthful account of two teenagers reacting to the separation of their parents, both writers living in New York, the father a pompous novelist whose once considerable career is in freefall, the mother a writer whose reputation is rapidly rising. ''Margot at the Wedding'', less sharply focused than its predecessor, explores similar territory in an equally allusive and indirect way." Todd McCarthy of ''Variety'' wrote "Kidman is the rawest as the most dangerously neurotic and manipulative of the bunch, Leigh the most prone to mood swings, while Black, whose character is not yet a family insider — more luck to him — works in a mode of emotional opaqueness that itself may mask the man’s intense neuroses. Newcomer Pais is very good as the son who learns way too much too fast."

Accolades

References

External links

Script
* * * *
Margot at the Wedding: An Interview with Nicole Kidman
' at Blackfilm.com *
Noah Baumbach on Margot at the Wedding
' at

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Margot at the Wedding 2007 films 2007 independent films American comedy-drama films Borderline personality disorder in fiction Films directed by Noah Baumbach Films about dysfunctional families Films produced by Scott Rudin Paramount Vantage films Films about sisters Films about writers Films about mother–son relationships 2000s English-language films 2000s American films