A Hole In Your Heart

My sister had a best friend who lived in California. Connie got married and had a baby, but one day the baby just died - crib death syndrome. No one knew the cause of death, it just sort of happened.  We learned later that the baby's death tore her life apart: she separated from her husband, and after one day, she just disappeared. To this day, no one knew where she went, or if she is even still alive. There was talk that she lost her sanity. 


I got reminded of Connie while watching RABBIT HOLE,  Nicole Kidman's new film. In it, she plays a mother who lost her 4 year old son to a freak vehicular accident. The movie follows her and husband (played by Aaron Eckhart) as they go through their grief. they deal with it differently: Kidman's character has he classic, icy, "guards-up" approach, while Eckhart's wallows in grief, living every second in tear. It shows a great dichotomy between the usual male and female roles, and both Kidman and Eckhart are fantastic. I thought it was great to see Eckhart in a sympathetic, human, emotional role. In here, he is as raw as raw gets, and he bares his soul with such vulnerability that you feel at times he just hits you right in the face. And forget the talk that Kidman's face has lost expression - ever quirk, burrow, and frown is out there. It's a subdued effective performance, though at times, I still see Cynthia Nixon's unforgettable performance (from the stage version) in here. I won't be surprised if they get his and hers Academy nominations for this film. 


Directed with quiet sensitivity by John Cameron Mitchell, who directed Shortbus and Hedwig,  the film opens up the stage play that the story doesn't feel as caged.  It's that rare movie that not only makes you think, it makes you feel. Wherever Connie is today , I hope she sees this film.