Howie and Becca are the model
couple on the outside. Eight months ago they lost their four-year-old son,
Danny. On the inside, the couple is falling apart. Rabbit Hole gives us a glimpse of their lives in the months after Danny's death.
Rabbit Hole was touching. It knew what emotions to play at any
given time, and created a realistic world of two grieving parents. The film is
based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire, and felt very much like a stage
production, which was a good thing. It focused more on the dialogue, but
remembered that actions and non-verbal communication can give just as much
insight.
I appreciated the depth of the
characters ranging from the leads to even the most minor part. Miles Teller is
somewhat of a newcomer, and he blew me away with his performance. Likewise, the
talent of Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart and Dianne Wiest was beyond evident. I'd
be surprised if at least one of them didn't nab an Oscar nomination.
With a heavy topic such as this
one, Rabbit Hole didn't take the story anywhere it didn't need to be.
The characters weren't overly dramatic, and we didn't see many flashbacks. I was also impressed that director John
Cameron Mitchell didn't force us to witness Danny's life as it was stripped from
his parents. It was respectful to the situation, and didn't make it
melodramatic as it occasionally inserted nice moments of comedy.
Unlike other films where the
relationships are obviously doomed, Rabbit
Hole never let it go to a point of
destruction. There was one emotionally charged argument that wrapped up
everything the characters were feeling. Other than that, it was a series of ups
and downs, as the couple figured out how to cope, and what should come next.
The ending was ideally suited;
making it feel like the entire story comes around full circle. I admired
everything that Rabbit Hole accomplished, and for that, it was darn near perfect.
