In a support group meeting bereaved mother Gaby says, referring to another group member, "She wasn't really into the support group model." Members of the group refer to anniversary reactions. (0:12)
Becca minimizes Howie's knowledge as based only on "One semester of psychology fifteen years ago..." (0:15)
Becca launders her deceased son Danny's clothes for her sister Izzy's expected baby. (0:16)
Becca dumps Danny's clothes in a Goodwill box. (0:19)
Becca follows a boy after she sees him in a school bus. She seems to recognize him. (0:20)
Becca tells Howie, "Things aren't nice anymore." (0:24)
Howie watches videos of Danny. He tells Becca, "If you're not going to go to group I think you should see someone." (0:25)
Becca follows the boy (Jason) into a library. Is she stalking him? (0:28)
Becca's mother Nat tells Becca, "When your brother died..." (0:32)
Becca tells Howie, referring to the child seat still in the car, "I wish you'd take that thing out of here." (0:33)
Becca: "He's everywhere, Howie." Augie asks Nat about "The Kennedys with the assassinations, the lobotomies?" (0:34)
Nat tells Becca, "You forget what I went through when your brother died."
Becca: "Danny was a four year old boy who chased his dog into the street. Arthur was a thirty hear old heroin addict who OD'd." (0:37)
Nat tells Izzie, "When Arthur died I was just as upset as she was, but I didn't take it out on other people." (0:38)
Jason accosts Becca. (0:40)
Jason tells Becca, "I'm sorry." (0:42)
Gaby smokes a bong. She tells Howie, "I'm smoking pot in a parking lot." (0:44)
Support group meeting. (0:45)
Becca and Howie talk about how Danny might not have died if not for a list of things they did previously, and about blame. She talks about her wish to get rid of reminders, Howie about wanting to keep them. (0:48)
Jason shows his comic book to Becca. He confesses, "I might have been going too fast... that day..." (0:51)
Gaby and Howie share a bong. (0:53)
Becca tells Howie, "Same reason you don't tell me why you come home wreaking of pot." (1:08)
Nat tells Becca how her grief unfolded after her son Arthur died. (1:09)
Becca cries after watching Jason leave for the senior prom. (1:15)
Howie gets rid of the car seat. Becca explains the quiet to Howie: "That's cause I slipped Taz a couple of Ambien." (1:16)
addict | anniversary reaction | Bereavement | bong | lobotomy | overdose | psychology | stalking | heroin | marijuana | Ambien | support group
Compare to Ordinary People, especially the two bereaved mothers.
Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest 2010
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Stream of consciousness on Rabbit Hole, movie made from a Pulitzer prize winning play.
ReplyDeleteI love Nicole Kidman, she is a wonderful actress and although at first she seemed a rather unsympathetic character, as time went on she became more interesting and very surprising. The best part of the movie for me was the connection she made with the boy driving the car that struck her son. I thought he (Miles Teller) was a really good actor too -- and the relaxation and understanding that occurred between them was very beautiful. The comic book and the parallel universe motif that he introduced was quite amazing. I did not understand what had happened to his father, except that he died? or left? But whatever had happened ,it allowed him to share with Nicole their common grief and common understanding. I loved the way his use of comic book art, starting from the beginning of the movie before we knew who was drawing, illustrating the parallel universe theme, became by the end, the way of healing.
I thought the chemistry between Nicole and the boy was what really made the film. I imagine in the play this would have been more elaborated. In a sense the boy seemed more mature and thoughtful than the more prosaic although faithful husband.
All the reviews said that Aaron Eckhart was so good, and perhaps you liked him too, but I thought he was wooden. Maybe it was just because in the film he and Nicole were so separate that he appeared like a stereotype, while she can express emotion effortlessly, even when seen from the back, jogging on her treadmill.
I loved her sister and the sister's boyfriend hiding out in the shower. The therapy group was a riot too. It was great to have some humor in this film. What I did not especially like were the settings -- the huge beautiful houses, the immaculate lobby at Sotheby's, their lawn overlooking the bay .. but I guess showing the tragedy in the midst of this elegant setting was supposed to indicate something. Maybe how hard it is to get in touch with emotions while shielded with such manicured perfection. I liked the bowling alley scene and the grocery store with the mother refusing to buy a fruit roll for her kid.
As far as the theme of the death of a child, I refused to empathize with that. I refuse to wrap my mind around how I would feel with such a tragedy, so I liked to pay attention to everything else but.
And, as far as parallel universes and rabbit holes go the mystery of that is not something that I think about much -- but maybe it is the enormity of universes and the belief in science, if it is science, shared by Nicole and Miles, that can in fact bring the relief and even meaning to tragedy that religion and therapy, in this movie, cannot.
So those are a few of my impressions -- thanks for recommending the film, and giving me a chance to share some of my reactions.
Anon: Becca ironically pushed away all those who loved her and moved toward the boy she might have blamed for her son's death. Did she see Jason as the young man her son might have become, still alive? I wanted more of the comic. Jason was an extraordinary artist. You write a great review!
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