Rabbit Hole

Following on from his first two audacious features in the niche of queer cinema, John Cameron Mitchell now enters relatively mainstream waters to bring us Rabbit Hole, adapted by David Lindsay-Abaire from his own Pulitzer Prize-winning play. It's a quiet, contemplative film, brimming with sadness and humor, and lead by a wonderful central performance.

Nicole Kidman returns to the theme that first brought her to international attention - that of a mother grieving the loss of a child, and the emotional aftermath that such a trauma entails. Of course in the two decades since Dead Calm was released, Kidman has explored of multitude roles and worked with some of the finest directors in the industry. She has gained such an authority on screen - yet somehow, here, she manages to strip away all of our preconceptions so that we are left with something as raw and natural as she was opposite Sam Neil at the age of 21. This is her most fully-rounded character and detailed performance in years - nimble, layered and completely magnetic.

Becca's journey with her husband Howie (Aaron Eckhart), eight months after the tragic accident that killed their son, is beautifully captured by Cameron Mitchell's lens. Despite the film's stage origins, the story never feels too talky or confined, shots are simple yet beautifully composed, the editing and pace have a fluid rhythm. The couple's facade of normalcy - making dinners, attending pious bereavement groups and keeping up appearances with friends and neighbors, begins to crack as the mementos of their son's life disappear. Becca gives his clothes to goodwill and takes his paintings off the fridge, she accidentally deletes a video of him playing on a swing - causing a distraught reaction in Howie. The difference in the way this couple deals with the loss is compelling, and the friction between them palpable outside of the few explosive scenes.

Their disconnect becomes more and more apparent, and Eckhart plays it with a wounded humanity that's really effective. Howie wishes they could "get back on track" and perhaps try for another baby, something which Becca is not prepared to do. Instead he starts hanging out with Gabby, a woman from their bereavement group, played by the always reliable Sandra Oh. Meanwhile prickly moments between Becca and her irresponsible sister Izzy (Tammy Blanchard) are very well played and Dianne Wiest provides a lot of warmth and wisdom as Becca's mother, but doesn't really get a defining moment. Becca both yearns to escape the reminders of her grief and seeks closure and solace in her pursuit of Jason, the young man who accidentally ran over her son. This strand of the story, exploring the idea of parallel universes and fate, gives the story a unique edge and Miles Teller is easily the stand out of the supporting cast.

Ultimately what gives this film its power is that Mitchell's focus is always fiercely rooted in the reality of the situation, side-stepping the potential sentimentality of the subject - biting humor undercuts the sorrow and there certain moments of confrontation between Becca, Howie and Jason that strike quite a visceral chord. The scenes on the bench between Kidman and Teller contain moments of such purity and depth as to be heartbreaking - and to me, the final montage is one of the most sublime and emotionally resonant endings of the past decade. I can't recommend the film enough, and if there's any justice in the world Kidman will finally be recognized again by the Academy.

Rabbit Hole is a wonderful drama. I thought it might be good. I honestly didn't think that it could be that good. It's sad tale. The movie is more suitable to people who are more mature. People who have kids or who have lost someone really dear might find this one a real pleasure. Younger viewers who enjoy mostly American-pie-style movies don't find it much interesting. Everybody, who likes good dramas which are based on a tragic stories and concentrates on the relationships between characters, will fancy this film very much.

Aaron Eckhart and Nicole Kidman are a great couple here. I clearly see why Kidman personally chose Eckhart to play his husband. They are so natural. It was pleasing to see those two together. A definite match.

I must admit, the story is quite somber, but I found myself happy after seeing it. That's probably because I was fascinated by the great performances of both lead actors. It may work for you too.

'Rabbit Hole' is a nice tidy showcase for the acting talents of an above average cast, but the story doesn't have much of an arc, and neither do any of the characters. Prosperous middle-class Becca and Howie have lost their four-year-old son in a car accident eight months prior to the film's opening. Howie is struggling to move on from their loss, but Becca tries to deal with the situation by suppressing her feelings. She rejects her husband's overtures for mutual consolation, treats friends and family with icy politeness when she's not snapping at them, and tries to banish memories of her deceased son by disposing of his possessions. The couple interact joylessly with their acquaintances and each other as they struggle with the burden of grief, even as their differing responses to the tragedy widens the breach in their relationship. Director Mitchell extracts respectable performances from the actors playing the six principal characters - Aaron Eckhart in particular - but he misses several opportunities to give his characters sympathetic nuances that would have resulted in deeper emotional impact. Unfortunately, in the final analysis the film doesn't amount to much more than a superior Sunday Night TV-movie weepie for some bourgeois intelligentsia demographic.

Mitch Hansch/ movieswithmitch.com Looking for some holiday movie cheer for you and your kin to bring in the seasonal cheer? If a film about a married couple coping with death of their young son does it for you, then go see "Rabbit Hole". But seriously folks, "Rabbit Hole" could just be another life-is-pain film clawing away for the awards season, but instead, we're blessed with so much more. Grand performances open a window to people's pain of the hardest kind, and David Lindsay-Abaire's screenplay from his Pulitzer Prize winning play allow for a truer look at events no one is equipped to handle.

Eight months after losing their young son Danny in a car crash, Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are past the point of the shock and now are left in a living purgatory of despair. Kidman and Eckhart somehow put the weight of their characters on their shoulders and are able to convey the strain and loss of the purest thing that two can create. A scene of Howie being devastated by Becca accidentally erasing a father/son video on his Iphone or a scene of Becca losing it on a mother at a grocery store will tear you to pieces. But director John Cameron Mitchell doesn't allow "Rabbit Hole" to become grief-porn, letting his actors use an amazing screenplay to go deeper by using glib humor to seep through agony. Fine supporting performances from Diane Wiest as Becca's mother who compares tragedy with the loss of her son and Sandra Oh as a professional wallower at the self help groups Howie and Becca attend, fill out a tough but challenging film that will take you down the rabbit hole.

"This" will take you down the rabbit hole.

John 17:24

Rabbit Hole is a tragic tale that won't sadden viewers. That is simply not the purpose despite what the plot and trailer may show. Rabbit Hole is a story of how two previously happy couple cope with the loss of their four-year-old son. The what/who/where/why/how is what makes Rabbit Hole one of 2010's finest films.

Right off the bat you will notice what surrounds this couple; a world filled with joy and life at the worst moment in their lives. This feeling does not lend itself to that Oscar-feeling feel it may have wanted but it certainly works.

These actors give highly realistic performances that fit perfectly with this demanding plot. Nicole Kidman steals the show with her best performance (and movie) since 'Eyes Wide Shut'. Aaron Eckhart also gives a terrific performance as the grieving husband and father and, after 'Love Happens', shows that he is back to serious acting as he was in 'The Dark Knight'.

The best aspect of Rabbit Hole is how you begin by knowing very little about these characters but end up knowing them as if they were your own neighbors. You progressively learn what happened to their son and other details within their past that fit perfectly together without feeling as they are giving the audience answers. The dialogue also lends itself to this method and, surprisingly, never feels directed to the audience.

What I found unique is how with such a depressing feel to the film, it never actually makes the viewer sad, but interested. It is a film that will make you laugh more than cry and I found that impressive. It isn't your normal tear-jerker; you are watching this couple live their lives and deal with this death in an interesting way. Rabbit Hole never has a dull moment; my eyes were glued to the screen from the start.

Rabbit Hole is simply one of the finest films of 2010. Its execution is sometimes brilliant and the feeling of self-awareness and thought it lends to the viewer is unlike anything you may have ever seen. It's not your run-of-the-mill Oscar contender. Rabbit Hole is a beautiful tale of life. And death.