Rabbit Hole Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest Rating: NR Release Date: December 17, 2010
TRAILER SCORE: 9/10
MY THOUGHTS: I have to admit that John Cameron Mitchell and I got off to a rocky start. I was never a big Hedwig and the Angry Inch fan but, it's nice to see him constantly push himself out of his comfort zone to deliver something "new." Although there's been a great deal of buzz surrounding this movie long before a trailer was available, I was a little nervous. The movie itself sounds good, but admittedly tired. Even after watching this trailer, I feel like I've watched this story before. But what Rabbit Hole does have to offer its audience is new characters.
Nicole Kidman as the grieving mother absolutely broke my heart within the first 30 seconds of the trailer. She gives voice to all the doubts that most of us have experienced at one time or another when faced with losing a loved one. Although Cynthia Nixon originated the role (Miranda from Sex and the City) and won a Tony for her portrayal, Kidman seems comfortable in taking the reins. It seems the awards love didn't stop at the Tony's though. Most people are tapping Kidman for at least an Oscar nod for her role and it isn't hard to see why, judging from this trailer.
However, the rest of the cast deserves credit as well. Eckhart as the compulsive fixer looks equally impressive. The trailer is very much centered around Kidman, but when Eckhart is shown, there's an undeniable magnetism paired with an unspoken sorrow. What made me want to see this movie most of all was Dianne Wiest though. When her character says that it never goes away but at some point it becomes bearable, I was on the verge of tears. Most people who have experienced the loss of a friend or a loved one know that feeling so well, that nothing will ever be the same and nothing will feel good again, but Wiest sells the idea that it will get better. The real beauty of the trailer is its elegant simplicity. Somehow with the music and the camerawork, Mitchell confronts the mundane and everyday as something foreign. The trailer feels as if everything is different from what we knew before. This sense of alienation and exquisite pain is at the heart of Rabbit Hole and if its as beautifully executed as it is in the trailer, Rabbit Hole is poised to become one of the best films of the year.