First Look at Rabbit Hole

Alex has been a part of this contest for quite a while now. Having written many classic baits like Fosse, Ralph's Food and Drug and Mermania, Alex has shown his talent in writing various genres of baits. Noticably though, Alex has been associated with many baits based on plays and musicals. And it so happens he's releasing one of each this month. However, the bait I will cover is his adaptation of the Tony nominated Rabbit Hole.

The story, adapted by the original playwright, takes place eight months after the tragic death of a five-year-old boy. Obviously, this pays a heavy price on the parents. However, the father Howie (played by Greg Kinnear) is able to find ways to cope with such a loss. The one who is suffering the most is the boy's mother Becca (Diane Lane). So much so that she has alienated herself from everyone around her, including Howie, her outspoken but understanding mother Nat (Kathy Bates) and her newly pregnant younger sister Izzy (Maria Bello). The majority of the story deals with how these people learn to accept death even when it hurts. Of course, this has to be accompanied by many hard moments that threaten to tear the family apart.

The synopsis itself is well written. The characters are nicely developed and the conflicts are well established. While the press section is nicely done, it did need a little better spacing of some of the paragraphs. Overall, the bait is nicely written. However, its key strength for reading and awards is its cast. Alex has chosen a great group, whose star power is good enough to give the bait credibility but not overwhelm it. Diane Lane is a great casting choice for lead character Becca. It's a very baity role that is sure to guarentee her a nomination. Greg Kinnear and Maria Bello are also nicely chosen, but they may not be able to garner attention due to the lack of focus for their characters (plus, it's a very competitive field for their categories). Even Haley Joel Osment, in his small role, is a good choice given his character's role in the conflict. However, the true star of this bait is Kathy Bates as rude and outspoken mother Nat. It is a role that if she was in would likely serve a good comic relief to the tragedy and would be a good vehicle for her overall. And seeing how she's just won the Festival Award for best supporting actress, I have no doubt that she will be nominated and possibly win if the field is weak this month.

If I had any overall complaints other than some formatting issue, it's that this bait might suffer where Proof did in the bad transition from stage to film. If this could do it right, it would be a hit. However, it is John Madden so it all depends on how the final draft turns out.

So look forward to Alex's Rabbit Hole this August. It just might be Alex's key to some more Oscars on his resume.

Grade: B

Awards Possibilities
Best Picture
Best Director (John Madden)
Best Adapted Screenplay (David Lindsay-Abaire)
Best Actress (Diane Lane)
Best Supporting Actress (Kathy Bates)
Best Cast