Plot: What’s it about?
Nicole Kidman, I think it’s safe to say, has shed the moniker of “Mrs. Tom Cruise.” I’m sure this officially ended when they were divorced some years ago, but I’d always believed that she’d gotten work as an actress mainly due to her husband. And then I saw “To Die For.” If anything Kidman has had it harder than a lot of other actresses simply because of her relationship with Cruise and the fact that she’s beautiful. However the last fifteen years have shown that she’s got natural talent and her somewhat avant garde choices have been the perfect showcase for her abilities as an actress. And so we come to “Rabbit Hole”, a movie buried so beneath the mainstream films that the only reason I (and many others) heard about it was due to Kidman’s nomination for Best Actress (she ultimately lost to Natalie Portman for “Black Swan”). When “Rabbit Hole” arrived, suffice it to say that I was intrigued.
Becca (Nicole Kidman) is a former professional in New York City who left life in the fast lane to raise her child. But that child was tragically killed when he chased his dog into the street and was hit by a car. It’s now been eight months since the incident and Becca and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are still coming to terms with their loss. Becca turns inward, she’s jaded and shuns family and friends with backhanded remarks. Howie lives in the past, watching a video of his son over and over on his phone. They attend a support group, only to find that it’s full of self-righteous group addicts. Howie continues to attend, eventually finding some solace in Gaby (Sandra Oh). Becca and Howie now have a loveless marriage. They have no sex life and when Howie brings up the thought of another child, Becca retreats within. To further complicate matters Izzy (Tammy Blanchard), Becca’s sister, is pregnant and the doting mother (Dianne Wiest) tries her best to comfort Becca during this ordeal.
Roger Ebert said it best in his review in that “Becca changes…” and that “things happen to Howie, but he’s still essentially the same person.” And that’s it. I don’t profess to know what a parent goes through when they lose a child and I’m sure it’s got to be one of the worst things imaginable. Everyone deals with stress or loss in a different way and this is somewhat of a snapshot as to how a married couple copes with loss. Kidman might have gotten the nod from the Academy, but I feel that Aaron Eckhart’s performance was just as strong. Eckhart, like Kidman (both of whom have starred in at least one “Batman” movie as well…odd) has taken risks with his career and it’s paid off. It would be easy for “Rabbit Hole” to be a sappy, melancholy tear-jerker sort of film but it’s not. It tells the tale and manages to keep the viewer interested throughout. Truly this was one of the better films I’ve seen in the past year.
Video: How does it look?
Lionsgate presents “Rabbit Hole” in a 1.78:1 AVC HD transfer that’s crystal clear. I didn’t really know what to expect when watching this as the budget was small, so it’s sometimes hit and miss with films like this. Thankfully the image both beautiful and warm. Fine detail is sharp and we see the little nuances in the face of Nicole Kidman (who actually has the beginnings of wrinkles). Aaron Eckhart’s perpetual five o’clock shadow is noticeable. The color palette is warm and natural and I’m now appreciative of films that maximize the full beauty of the screen. I was very impressed with the way this appeared.
Audio: How does it sound?
The DTS HD 7.1 Master Audio soundtrack seems intentionally subdued. There’s no real soundtrack to speak of, just some instrumental music that plays throughout (which is, technically, a soundtrack of sorts) but the majority of the film is dialogue-driven. Audio is strong and consistent and though the surrounds only really make their presence known a few times during the movie, it does add a bit of depth to the track. There are certainly other films that make use of 7.1 channels more so than this, but I wasn’t disappointed by this in the least.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is one of those movies that I’d have liked to see a bit more of in the supplements department. The included audio commentary is very informative and we do get some information about the adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning play as well as the casting of Eckhart and Kidman. There’s also a trio of deleted scenes as well as the original theatrical trailer.
