Rabbit Hole (Rhoades)

“Rabbit Hole” Swallows You Up
Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades

Pass the Prozac. I’m kinda depressed after seeing “Blue Valentine,” the quirky story of a deteriorating marriage, and “Inside Job,” the documentary about our crumpling financial system. And now we get “Rabbit Hole.”

No, not a sequel to Alice and the Mad Hatter, “Rabbit Hole” is a drama about a couple dealing with the death of a child.

Psychologists say there’s nothing worse than a parent outliving their child. Well, almost nothing.
“Rabbit Hole” is currently wrenching audiences’ emotions at the Tropic Cinema.

Here we see Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a couple facing this crisis. As the more distraught of the two, Kidman gets to emote in a range that hovers between an understated “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?” and an emotional “Revolutionary Road.”

When young Danny is hit by a car, Becca (Kidman) and Howie (Eckhart) are devastated. But they react in differing ways. While Becca tries to navigate the surreal landscape at the bottom of the rabbit hole she’s fallen into, seeking the solace of well-meaning friends, Howie dwells in his memories of the past while turning to outsiders. Emotions take another twist as Becca befriends the young comic book artist (Miles Teller) who was driving the car that changed everyone’s life so drastically.

Based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s play of the same name, Kidman obviously knows a meaty role when she sees one. She produced this indie film through her own company, Blossom Films. As a result, she has been nominated as Best Actress in the upcoming 83rd Academy Awards.

The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. Kidman was also in the running for a Golden Globe as Best Actress – Drama, a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress, and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, among many others.

You have to applaud actresses who take chances. Especially, those who dive into dark emotional waters. Kidman has two adopted children (now grown) with her ex, Tom Cruise. And she has two children by current hubby, country singer Keith Urban. So you can imagine that these are murky depths for a mother to explore.

And for audiences. So fortify your emotions and go see it. Prozac Nation, unite!

srhoades@aol.com
[from Solares Hill]