Rabbit Hole

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell, Olympus Pictures, 2010. Starring Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Sandra Oh and Dianne Wiest.

Genre: Drama

Question: When you are sad, do you hate it when people tell you how to feel and act so you are no longer sad?

Rabbit Hole, starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart, takes on a family's tragedy and it's aftermath with how the mother (Nicole Kidman) copes with the death of her 4 year-old son. Not a light subject but I was thoroughly engrossed with this woman's plight and how she handled it all. I found it fascinating that everyone around her kept telling her how to feel and react to get over "it". Her reactions, to the constant barrage of advice, was not something I have seen on film much. For that alone I recommend this film.

I cannot relate to the specific tragedy this woman (couple) must go through but everyone has been sad at one time or another. We have all had things in our lives that take us on a course down a dark road of uncertainty. Clawing back to the light to what feels normal and safe is difficult especially when friends abandon you, others try to relate their experiences to yours and all you want to do is curl up in a ball and be left alone. The film shows that not everyone handles other's grief well or with respect sometimes.

Does Rabbit Hole give any sort of advice on how to handle the overwhelming sadness, emptiness or helplessness? You will have to see for yourself, but it did show that everyone deals with their pain and suffering differently. How and when they begin to get past their loss is as individual as the person. Not only had Nicole Kidman's character have something bad happen to her world but their were other characters in Rabbit Hole that also conveyed how people deal with consequences that are thrust upon them.

Rabbit Hole was a tender and poignant film. Nicole Kidman with Aaron Eckhart did a fantastic job at exposing the underbelly of how a couple handles the tragic death of their child. Anger, resentment and the search for closeness with others in order to feel something other than pain are all present in this story. There were times of humor and a cathartic need to take a large sigh during some scenes. But above all, the overwhelming sadness that had taken over the grieving mother (Nicole Kidman) and then her pursuit to be left alone to discover her own path out of her darkness was awe-inspiring. Kidman outdid herself on keeping the subject matter palpable and relatable even if you have never lost a child.

Does this film have a happy ending? Well, I won't say but the journey that was exposed was worth watching because how authentic the story was portrayed.

My favorite thing: Nicole Kidman's performance.

My least favorite thing: Can't really think of anything at the moment.


Rating: PG-13
Length: 91 minutes

Review: 8 out of 10

Click on film poster below to watch instantly:
 

What Makes Me Laugh

There are many days that can bring in sadness and worry. I usually try to wipe those days away but sometimes they linger and keep me quiet and wanting to be alone until it passes. When those days take hold I usually go to my happy place - the movie theatre. However, if I can't get to the theatre I go looking for scenes from movies that make me laugh. I have one in particular that gets me EVERY TIME from Victor/Victoria! I am NOT kidding.

I must give you a bit of background on the movie so you fully understand what I am talking about. Almost 30 years ago Victor/Victoria came out. Don't know the movie? Well, it is about a woman, Victoria, who sings beautifully but can't find a job in Paris during the 1930's in any of the cabarets. However, she befriends a man, Toddy, who comes up with a plan to get her to pretend to be a man to perform as a female impersonator. You say, "Huh?" Yep, it's pretty much a scam but a great story.

This movie was written and directed by the late Blake Edwards and starred Julie Andrews as Victor/Victoria. I loved this movie the first time, when I was 11, and have watched at least a dozen times since. It never gets old for me.

Here is a scene (yes, this is still part of the set-up, bare with me) that shows Victor/Victoria performing. Watch the entire thing - detail is very important.



Now, here is the scene I wanted to show you. Whenever I am down or need to smile at something, I somehow come back to this particular scene. It gets me every single time. In fact, I just watched it again and lost it with the giggles. Do watch the whole scene, it does go off into another scene but comes back to the performance.

Forgive the foreign version, I couldn't find another one that showed the whole scene. And it's the end when Robert Preston laughs that gets me to burst out with the giggles. Actually, the whole scene makes me happy but that laugh is so sincere that you laugh with him. Laughter is infectious.



Click on poster to watch instantly:

You may not find this movie or these scenes as funny as I do but that really doesn't matter. What's important is for you to find your source of glee. Just try to remember what YOU love and makes YOU smile - be it movies, music, a good book or friends (Oh, and my friends make me giggle all the time as well) etc...because love and laughter is the spice of life.

Find what makes you laugh and keep the laughter close.

P.S. I just found out that this is a remake!! I had no idea but the original is from Germany and came out 1933. Not sure if we could get that one on DVD, hmmmm?