Wiggly Socks Movie Reviews

By Linda Winsh-Bolard

Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart star as bereaved parents whose four years old son died in an accident.

Rabbit Hole is shot in slower tempo than most current Hollywood productions are, it presents an idyllic, white picket fence New York suburb as a desirable haven filled with gardens and polite people, then drops in the growing distance between two people who suffer their loss alone, incapable of connection to each other.

Nicole Kidman's character, Becca, has much more screen time than anyone else, this is primarily her story. We learn about Becca??s family history, see her unruly younger sister and her mother (Diane Wiesman) living in far less idyllic circumstances than Becca??s and participate in her daily routines.

Aaron Eckhart' part , Howie, serves more as a sentinel, a person whose separate existence Becka acknowledges intellectually but cannot, at the moment, handle compassionately. Howie??s needs and pains remain his own for most of the film. Becca, controlled and largely distant, carries her grief as a burden and a wall at the same time. The wall separates her from all other people, the burden weights her down, incapacitates her feelings, makes her unpredictable, sometimes cruel. Becca is occasionally even shamed by her own actions.

Howie and Becka both go through doubts, anger and hope for some resolution. Their paths differ widely. Howie seeks human connection within group of those with similar pain, Becka, largely by chance, by connection to the young, driver, Jason, who accidentally killed her son.

Nicole Kidman's goes through the bumps and jumps of her part with relative grace and easiness, the part reveals her as an capable actress. Aaron Eckhart does credible job of grieved, confused man without any idea how to deal with his problems.

In the supporting role of mother Diane Wiest shines; she is a superb actress with admirable tools and depths and faultless delivery. In the part of Becca's sister, Izzy, Tammy Blanchard is surprisingly convincing if somewhat flat. The young driver Jason is portrayed by Miles Teller who comes across as believable and capable teenager, who faced with the impossible, tries to do his best. Sandra Oh as Gabby, another mother suffering loss, is as good as her par allows; and this is a part that goes through many changes.

Rabbit Hole is a surprisingly gentle, interesting, human film. We see few films based on human emotions, credible story and acting. There are no computer tricks, no alternate universe, no star ships comes down. Just people, some lucky, some not. Their isolation and the sadness it brings is an integral part of our lives. Like them, we try to breach the loneliness, if not every day, then occasionally, like them we might not succeed.

Director John Cameron Mitchell has gently and aptly guided this seemingly simple story of growing out of daze caused by grief into an interesting film. It is a challenge because timing and balance are not easy to maintain; here it is well done. Due to combined effort and talent, watching Rabbit Hole is not time lost.

The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize?winning play by David Lindsay-Abaire