As many connections the title “Rabbit Hole” may seem to have with Alice in Wonderland, director John Cameron Mitchell’s latest film certainly does not evoke the same feeling of jubilance and fanaticism as its counterpart.
Based off David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Rabbit Hole” revolves around the concept of tragedy and its far-reaching effects on life.
Having lost their child in a car accident eight months prior, protagonists Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) now struggle continuing with their daily lives.
The plot is thought-provoking and appropriately slow moving. The characters are given room to breathe and demonstrate how extensively tragedy can disfigure the human psyche.
As Becca attempts to find closure with the boy responsible for her son’s death and Howie finds escape from the world with marijuana, the pair must somehow find a way to reconcile with each other.
In arguably her best role yet, Kidman dominates the screen.
Losing her self-control as she slaps another woman for not giving her child candy, she gives a heart-wrenchingly honest portrayal of a grieving mother who refuses to receive guidance from others. With this performance, Kidman not only secures a spot for an Oscar nomination, but also becomes one of the favorites to win.
With an equally solid showing from Eckhart as well, Mitchell’s adaptation proves to be a thought-provoking film that does not merely rely on tugging at the heart’s strings.
A sophisticated exploration of dark human emotions, “Rabbit Hole” provides a closing sense of hope that tragedy, while permanent, can mend with time and love.
