Note: The following review contains spoilers that occur in the first act.
With his third feature, John Cameron Mitchell takes a departure from his oddity trips Short Bus and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Rabbit Hole, based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire, who also wrote the script, is a personal examination of grief and holding a marriage together.
Led by Aaron Eckhart and Nicole Kidman, Mitchell slowly reveals that the couple has lost their young son, instead of putting it out on the table from the start. Eckhart, and especially Kidman are able to capture tangible grief with their roles. It’s rare when I can actually connect with one of Kidman’s performances and her subdued turn here is one of her best.
It is the small details Mitchell chooses to focus on that give it the emotional weight. When Eckhart loses a beloved iPhone video of his son, the effect rips him to shreds. When Kidman sees a mother in a grocery store not loving her child, she reacts. Although some of the acting veers into forced territory, it is very rare. Mitchell knows with adapting a play to let his actors breath and everyone does an outstanding job here.
Known for pushing the norm with his previous work, Mitchell creates a few nice surprises. Kidman’s reactions in their group therapy session prove to be some of the best moments in the film. He, along with Lindsay-Abaire, also explore the relationship with Kidman and her child’s killer, Jason (Miles Teller). The way Mitchell handles her grief with his regret is profoundly touching.
The tender detail Mitchell applies to this volatile subject is what separates it from many others just like it. Paired with the high-caliber acting, Rabbit Hole is a serious contender come award season.
9 out of 10