Rabbit Hole
2010
**½
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Miles Teller, Tammy Blanchard, Sandra Oh, Patricia Kalember, Mike Doyle
Becca and Howie lost their 4-year-old son in a tragic accident. Eight months later, he is eager to move on, but she cannot get over her grief and guilt. David Lindsay-Abaire adapted his 2005 play to the screen, and the result is a well-acted and well-meaning but underwhelming drama, which remains stuck on safe and familiar territory. The way the couple responds to the situation (leaving the boy's room untouched, watching old family videos, and dreading to see other people's children) may be realistic, but it is also how all the past films have dealt with the loss of a child. While struggling with grief, Becca and Howie both embark on unusual relationships outside their marriage, but these sidetracks never really lead anywhere. In the end, all the soft-pedaling undermines the story's emotional impact.
