Rabbit Hole **** (2010, Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Miles Teller) – Classic Movie Review 4605

Playing to all her strengths at her impeccable finest, Oscar-nominated Nicole Kidman gives arguably her best ever performance as Becca Corbett, a mother whose young son Danny has been killed by a teenager driver. Glacial and emotional at the same time, Becca is shocked, stunned, frozen by grief.

Aaron Eckhart is just as superb as her extremely nice and normal-seeming husband Howie, who wants to carry on regardless, but to keep any mementos of their child, even as Kidman wants to give them away or hide them away.

Director John Cameron Mitchell’s beautiful 2010 film about loss, grief and grieving is a very fine piece of work indeed with an exquisitely judged script matching the performances. Surprisingly, given the material, it is neither sentimental nor tearful, but just incisive with no fake happy endings thankfully.

Dianne Wiest is also marvellous as Kidman’s damaged mother Nat, who has lost a child of her own, and Miles Teller shares magic scenes with Kidman as Jason, the driver she stalks and starts up a weird relationship with.

Author David Lindsay-Abaire won a 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his 2005 original play. He opens it out perfectly, and without any signs of strain, for the movies.

Tammy Blanchard, Sandra Oh, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Tenney, Stephen Mailer, Mike Doyle, Patricia Kalember and Roberta Wallach are also in the cast.

Produced by Kidman through her company Blossom Films, it premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2010.

Mitchell is the director/star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) and writer-director of Shortbus (2006).

Eckhart and Teller re-convened for Bleed for This (2016).

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4605

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