I had expected a lot out of Rabbit Hole based on the trailer alone. I will say up front that the film did not meet my “unusually high by just watching a trailer” standards. I don’t often get overly excited for a movie based on previews on the basis that I have been burned too many times! With that said, Rabbit Hole was a visceral insight into how we cope with death, specifically the death of a child. I’m sure for those who watch this movie and have experienced this type of loss, a greater sense of emotion will fill them. The parts I found most interesting were those where Nicole Kidman’s character interacted with the teen responsible for her child’s death (“responsible” being a somewhat lax term). When we find out why the film is called rabbit hole, I got very excited because I thought it had something to do with the actual plot, unfortunately it didn’t … really. I thought there was a great potential for a greater emotional connection between the coping strategies of all the characters if the reasons for the film title integrated a bit more. I won’t say much more as to not give away what the reason is, but if you see the film and agree, post a comment. With that said, everything else in the movie played out very well. The acting was spot on, and the thematic representations of how we move through life were (I can imagine) deep and true. Becca’s mother gives one of the most realistic and dead-on (no pun intended) metaphors I have ever heard in a film about how we carry sorrow with us in our lives. This scene alone makes up for the discrepancies of the film title. You would think that the film is really depressing, but on many levels, the cinematography is very stasis, like the emotions of the character, and the development of those characters bring you with them instead of just watching them on the screen. Overall, even though Rabbit Hole didn’t meet my expectations (I like films that make me cry, and I didn’t get there with this one), it was a wonderfully acted, scripted, and executed film, and if you enjoy films like What Dreams May Come, I think some parallels and thoughts could be contributed (although WDMC may never be beat as “Dramas dealing with loss”).

Trailer

• Related:
•  
• Drama
• 2010

80%

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

75%

Friends with Kids (2011)

75%

Drive (2011)

60%

Melancholia (2011)

65%

Red State (2011)

30%

A Horrible Way To Die (2010)

60%

Red Hill (2010)

80%

Love and Other Drugs (2010)

75%

Super (2010)

80%

Hesher (2010)