I’m always glad to see a movie that takes a very personal, very depressing subject and is able to show it in an entertaining, respectable way With a beautiful script and some outstanding performances, Rabbit Hole is definitely one of the better examples of this.
Howie and Becca (Aaron Eckhart and Nicole Kidman, respectively) are a couple dealing with having recently lost their son in an accident. They’re both taking it about as badly as you might expect, and it’s only made worse by family and friends wanting to show comfort. We watch as they struggle with their problems, both outside their home and inside, as well as inside themselves.
Kidman and Eckhart both give powerhouse performances. Kidman’s subtle inflections and facial expressions highlight her performance as a wife and mother trying her hardest to move on with her life. Eckhart is intentionally less subtle, to great effect, as a husband and father trying not to lose the memories of his son despite also wanting to erase the sadder memories. The supporting cast also does a great job at making you understand what it’s like to the people around them and how they are affected by both the loss and by the couple’s reactions.
I’ve never read or seen the play on which this movie is based, but from what I understand the film stays on course with most of the dialogue being lifted directly from the show. Apparently there are some changes to both character involvement and how certain minor events unfold, and honestly it sounds like they were just fixing the smaller problems from the play. The screenplay is honorable in that it doesn’t take too serious a route on the subject matter but it also keeps things real enough that the emotion stays in tact.
I can’t say whether or not Rabbit Hole is the type of film you would want to watch if you were going through something similar to the events in the film. On one hand it might just makes things worse, but on the other hand it does give hope and, without spoiling anything, doesn’t leave you on too depressing a note. If you’re just looking for a really great character piece or some really good dialogue then this would be a fitting suggestion.
