Rabbit Hole Review

RABBIT HOLE
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Sandra Oh, Tammy Blanchard.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, Rabbit Hole tells the story of Becca (Kidman) and Howie (Eckhart), a couple struggling to return to life as normal after their young son dies in a car accident. To help with their grief, they join a support group and Becca starts cleaning out the house. Becca also starts secretly meeting up with Jason, the driver involved in the accident.

To start off I should say, after watching this, I was pleasantly surprised . For a film about grief, this film is very easy to watch. There are no jarring tonal shifts, as dramatic scenes are expertly interspersed with funny ones. The acting is all top-notch; Nicole Kidman is back to her best, Aaron Eckhart is just as good and Dianne Wiest is her usual brilliant self, playing Becca's mother who has dealt with family tragedy in the past. Newcomer Miles Teller is also great as Jason- it is actually the relationship between him and Becca that keeps this film fresh and interesting. Their conversations are a good contrast between the frosty arguments between the main couple as their marriage starts to show signs of deterioration. The screenplay, adapted by the writer of the original play, is sharp and witty, and the direction competent. Sure, it isn't a marvel of cinematic excellence, but the key to the greatness of this film is its simplicity and restraint- the latter something you probably wouldn't expect from director John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Itch, Shortbus). There are parallels between this and the superior portrayal of a couple in crisis that was Blue Valentine, but for those who couldn't bring themselves to watch such an intense film, Rabbit Hole should be consolation.

The bottom line: This isn't a masterpiece, but it is a fresh, well acted portrait of grief

8/10