Review of Rabbit Hole (2010) by Liam P — 11 Aug 2011

SUMMING IT UP:

An oddly been-there-seen-that story, probably more effectively told in the likes of In The Bedroom, that somehow escapes its borderline cliches to deliver an affecting and poignant take on grief. Kidman and Eckhart are astonishingly good in really lived-in roles. How she, in particular, is able to shake off the fact that she is Nicole Kidman and disappear into her roles is testament to the level of her craft. The supporting cast are really strong as well with Wiest - her telephone scene is killer - and Blanchard - so much better here than she has ever been before - great in familial roles and the relatively unknown Miles Teller brings a really subtle grace to his difficult role. The thing to take from this film beyond its performances is the work of Mitchell as director. He's far from as prolific but he may just be America's answer to the likes of Michael Winterbottom, delivering, now, work as varied and textured and interesting as his three features. It's a strong piece of filmmaking.