The Rabbit Hole - Comparison

The movie of the “The Rabbit Hole” has many additional and altered scenes that give the viewer more to think about, but in some sense, it limits the viewer’s imagination – as the play gives a more suggestive approach to how the characters think and behave. One part of the movie that intrigues me is the group therapy session as Becca and Howie both attend, while in the play, Becca and Howie only recollect their memories about the group therapy sessions, and comment about what they feel about it – particularly Becca. In the movie, Becca openly confronts one of the troubled parents who also lost their child, who suggests that their children have been summoned by God to become angels, but the play, Becca makes the same comment to Howie when she expresses her discomfort about the group’s tendency to lean on religious rationalizations. The movie makes a more concrete, vivid presentation of Becca’s attitude by illustrating her awkward behavior, which is reasonable based on the play, while in the play, there are no scenes of Becca attending the session, but her comments hint her behavior in the sessions before she quit. Both mediums portray Becca’s radical thinking towards how she deals with the loss of her son, and how, at the same time, her attitude can irrational towards her own recovery and mental health. Perhaps, the movie needs more variety of scenes to portray Becca and Howie’s situation, so it shows how exactly she acts in the sessions. And the play can rely more on the audience’s imagination to let them formulate an impression of how she acts.