Directed by John Cameron Mitchell. Starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart.
83 Oscars - 1 Nomination: Best Actress (Nicole Kidman)
Rabbit Holeis the harrowing story of a couple dealing with grief after the death of their young son. Perhaps what is most interesting about this plot is that the child was hit by a car as he chased a dog out into the street. Thus, as tragic as it is, there is no "bad guy" and there is no one, really, to blame. Not even the teenage driver, who plays an important role in the story, is at fault for the accident. Overall, this film is simply about the parent's raw pain at their terrible loss, though this is now growing dull as it's been eight months since their son Danny's death, and about their attempts to move forward with their lives.
What I found most interesting was the way Rabbit Hole depicted grief, loss, tragedy, and death. Becca (Kidman) tries to handle it by moving on, slowly getting rid of what remained of Danny -- finger-paintings on the fridge, kiddie snacks in the cupboard, and clothes in the closet. Meanwhile, Howie (Eckhart) is trying to hold on to the memory of his son, often turning to a simple home video of Danny on his iPhone for comfort. Added to this are the characters in a grief support group (one of whom Howie grows quite close to), and Becca's family, who have their own experiences with loss and life.
Despite how it sounds, this film is not unbearably dark. There are moments of hope and lightness. There is a sense that, though the grief will never go away, as one character says, it will become bearable. There is a light at the end of the tunnel -- or rather, the rabbit hole.
Quite honestly, it's somewhat disappointing to me that both of the leads didn't receive Oscar nominations. Even in a Blockbuster like The Dark Knight, I thought Aaron Eckhart was a formidable actor. Though Nicole Kidman does dominate the picture, I thought Kidman's performance was more of a group effort -- that it was made stronger through contrast to Eckhart and the other actors. That said, hers is an impressive performance. Kidman is in beige and baggy clothes, with frizzy hair and little makeup. In short, she is the opposite of the glamorous actress I often think of her as (it's amazing compare her in this film to her role in Moulin Rouge). This is a bare-bones, raw role. Though I don't think she's really a contender to win in the Best Lead Actress category, I think this nomination is an important recognition of an impressive performance.
This film is based on a play, and looking at Rabbit Hole through the film student's eye, I was aware of these origins. Throughout film history, there is a give and take between movies and theater. Films came out of the great vaudeville entertainment tradition, and at various points in films, performances and stories were quite theatrical -- with frontal address, limited sets, etc. Many films have been adapted from theater. This film, though made more complex in many ways in the transition to the filmic medium (for example, characters drive around quite a lot), still doesn't seem to have moved too far from the stage. The film style is simple, the music unobtrusive. I don't mean this as a critique -- far from it. I found it to be refreshingly simple; focused on its subject matter, characters, plot and themes above all else. I think this, more than anything else, really played a large role in letting Kidman shine.
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