'Rabbit Hole'

'Rabbit Hole' (PG-13) (3 1/2 stars)

Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire based on his play
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Miles Teller, Diane Wiest, Tammy Blanchard, Giancarlo Esposito, Sandra Oh, Jon Tenney

I could never imagine what it would feel like to lose a child. After watching the beautiful and poetic "Rabbit Hole" I think I got a better understanding of what it would really feel like. The movie just feels right and the characters are well written. "Rabbit Hole" was based on a play and it is well adapted by the play's author and filmed carefully by John Cameron Mitchell. The movie stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a married couple, Becca and Howie, who have just lost their young son who was run over by a car. The movie deals with their pain, how they deal with family and situations that make them think of their son. They go to a support group but the wife is a little sick of the group members using God as a crutch. The power of this movie lies certainly with the performances. Nicole Kidman turns in some of her best work as the grieving wife. Aaron Eckhart is her equal as the husband and they both handle the quiet scenes and the emotional ones with the same mastery. The movie is also great in it's depiction of grief and how life goes on without a loved one. This movie doesn't try to wring the tears and the emotion out of you. We have all lost a loved one and after that loss life does not just stop. Life just doesn't become hopeless, there is still laughter, love and triumph all around you.

This movie knows this and I admire it's humor, there are a lot of funny moments that simply spring from life. Not every scene is dramatic or over bearing, there are some genuinely funny moments and the movie ends on a poetic and hopeful note. My favorite scenes involve Becca trying to reach out to the 17 year old teenager who ran over her son. That boy is named Jason and he is played wonderfully by Miles Teller. Teller holds his own with Kidman and I love his sensitive portrayal, he plays the role like a natural teenager, he makes the character feel real. Those scenes are simple but the most powerful ones in the movie. There is also some amazing work done by Diane Wiest, Sandra Oh and Tammy Blanchard. I liked this movie's quiet, laid back tone instead of having showy, individual scenes of melodrama. The movie feels like real life and it knows life doesn't stop so you can have your moment. You have to move on and find something in your life to make you whole again. The movie also ends on a perfect note and the final scene is poetic, quiet, heartbreaking, real and beautiful just like the whole movie. This reminds me of great movies like "Clean and Sober" (88) that don't insult our intelligence with cliches and easy answers. This is an amazing movie with great performances and a heartbreaking but triumphant story.

P.S. I was also impressed with the directing job by John Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell has directed some outlandish and very daring, good movies like "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Shortbus". I didn't know he had it in him to make something this restrained and he does a wonderful job and is a talented director.

I also am very upset that Nicole Kidman has been slammed in the press for her looks lately. Someone had mentioned that it looked like she got work done and her face can't show expression anymore. Isn't it shameful that there is such a focus on a woman's physical appearance and that mean things have to be said. Nicole Kidman is wonderful and gives an outstanding performance in "Rabbit Hole". All I noticed was how great Kidman was in this movie, it is brilliant work.