Rabbit Hole

Rabbit Hole

I saw this film during the Toronto International Film Festival. I am still haunted by the story. Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart are superb in their roles of the grieving parents. The film has already been nominated for awards this season. It is not a happy story but it is handled so well and you do come away feeling that the characters have progressed from their deep grieving to a more tolerable stage.

I can’t imagine anything more grievous than losing a child. Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are the grieving parents. Their son was killed in an accident when he darted out to catch his dog. It is obvious that this had been a loving satisfied family.

Both parents grieve in different ways and it pulls them apart. She loves to tend to her garden and it shows her nurturing soul. He wants to keep all the mementos around him of his adorable son.

They try therapy but that doesn’t work for them. Somebody at the therapy group told them that God needed another angel. I am still haunted by the way Becca brittles with her response,” Why didn’t he just make one?”

When Becca’s sister announced she was pregnant I felt a pain in my stomach. I couldn’t help but empathize with how Becca must have felt.

They both seek compassion and satisfaction with different people. She becomes a friend of a young male teenager. I did have trouble really finding this believable. For a short time he seeks solace with another woman. He can’t handle it.

I felt that the major blow up between the two was a turning point and very cathartic. I almost want to go back and see it again. It is a painful story but handled so well.