Review of Rabbit Hole (2010) by Dana A — 11 Aug 2011

This is the moving story of Howie and Becca, a couple struggling to cope with the loss of their 4 year-old son Danny after his death 8 months earlier in an accident. The film is a massive downer, but there is hope, and there are moments of levity and peace, so it's not a complete bummer to sit through.

I will say that it is probably one of the most thoughtful and realistic movies about dealing with grief and loss, although that's kind of relative since no two people ever deal with it in the same way.

Still though, when it comes to dealing with a tough subject, this film gets it right. The acting is superb. Both Eckhart and Kidman shine as the grieving parents struggling to keep it all together, but Kidman's performance just might be a bit more devastating and notable.

The supproting players, especially Dianne Wiest, are really good as well. I quite enjoyed Miles Teller's performance as Jason. John Cameron Mitchell handles the material in a very sensitive way that is never overbearing, and never too cynical nor too sentimental.

It can be hard to watch certain scenes, but the film is very authentic. I really wasn't sure how I would feel about this movie. I can't say I was looking forward to seeing it nor will everyone enjoy sitting through it.

Its Blue Valentine meets The Hours. The performances are amazing, and the way everything is handled is very tasteful, and the film is quite insightful with how it presents the various ways people cope with grief and the way it affects life.