Review in a Hurry: The usually lovable Anne Hathaway takes a dark turn as the spoiler at a long wedding weekend, and helps—along with all the shaky handheld cameras—deliver a close-up, gut-wrenching tale of family ties.

The Bigger Picture: When Kym (Hathaway) leaves rehab to attend the wedding of her sister Rachel (Rosemarie DeWitt), the old wounds of the Buchman family are ripped wide open. The story takes place over a long weekend, and pretty much every opportunity that Kym has to make things right goes horribly wrong—even a simple toast is cringeworthy.

Shot with handheld DV cams, director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) makes it seem as if the cast and crew are working without a net. There's no warm glow here. The colors are washed out, and moments have a tendency to linger just a bit longer than they would in a typical Hollywood film. As Kym, Hathaway wreaks havoc on her family, and the YouTube look illuminates how everyone is affected.

Here, Hathaway takes a chance by playing Kym as an unlikable, almost unsympathetic black sheep. Ultimately, this decision pays off—Kym feels like a person you know rather than just watch.

What really makes the film a winner is that, as bleak as it can get, there are many moments of pure joy. The music in particular is fantastic. Back in '84 Demme directed the landmark Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense, and his instincts are still pitch-perfect. With live musicians onscreen, the cast really looks like they're enjoying themselves. The songs might not be familiar (thankfully, no Kool & the Gang covers), but there's a sense of energy and community that'll make you feel like you're attending a special event. Also, if you're wondering why Rachel's groom looks familiar (but not too familiar), that's Tunde Adebimpe, lead singer of TV on the Radio.

This is not only the best film Demme's made since Silence of the Lambs, it's also the best role Debra Winger's had since An Officer and a Gentleman. Winger plays another black sheep of sorts, the estranged mother.

The 180—a Second Opinion: Shaky cam is not for everyone. Our advice: Avoid the first row for this one.