Rabbit Hole is an American drama film directed by John Cameron Mitchell starring major actors such as John Cameron Mitchell as Howie Corbett and Nicole Kidman as Becca Corbett. The film showcases the pains of parents who lose their four year old son Danny in a car accident and their sorrowful recovery after the tragic incident. The way Becca and Howie want to recover from the incident is much different and this creates tension between the couple.

“Rabbit Hole” is a metaphor for something that transports someone into a wonderfully or (troublingly in the film’s case) surreal state or situation.

Howie wants them to go to a group therapy, listen to other parents’ experiences and believes this is a good way to express their feelings and heal with other people. However, Becca does not agree. When someone loses a loved one, they feel a rush of feelings. First it is sorrow, then it turns into anger and rage. They refuse to believe that person is gone and they will never have their company or even never see them ever again. Other peoples’ happiness may irritate them even if they do not want to feel that way, they simply cannot control it. We can observe that in the film when Becca learns that her sister Izzy is pregnant, she seems to be uncomfortable she tries too hard to seem happy about it. Their loved ones do not necessarily have to die. People may even feel these emotions when they go through a painful breakup.

In the video above, it is crystal clear how the couple is angry at each other and their way of recovery process. Becca wants to get rid of everything that reminds her of Danny. His pictures, his personal belongings clothes and the dog which is indirectly responsible for the accident. She even wants to sell the house and move out. This drives Howie insane. He thinks she is not feeling enough or grieving in the right way. However there is no right way of grieving. Everyone grieves in a different way. That does not mean they are hurting more or less.

Another way Becca chooses to heal is with the help of the guy who has killed her son. She knows he is not guilty. It was not his fault. Becoming friends with him and understanding his world helps her heal. Jason tells her about the comic book he is making and the possible parallel universes. This brings Becca a sense of comfort, imagining she is having a happy cheerful life somewhere else and she is not in enormous pain like this.

After having to go through very painful 8 months with Becca, Howie finds it difficult to connect with her again. They have apparent problems in their marriage but it is expectable since they are going through probably the most painful paths of their lives. Howie meets Sandra Oh’s Gabby. They click. They both like each other. They smoke pot and go to bowling. It feels like an escape from their depressive lives. They almost begin an affair but Howie changes his mind and makes it clear that he is in love with his wife. Cheating on someone is always an awful move but doing it at a time like this is particularly painful. If it is true love, they will stay despite all the obstacles.

The film gives the idea that, in the end everything is going to be alright. They will never be able to forget their loved one. Whatever they do, there is no escape from this awful feeling but it will become bearable by time and time is the only healer.

personal rating: 7/10