“Rabbit Hole,” a new film starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart, was screened on Oct. 28 as the second-to-last film of the Austin Film Festival.

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Shortbus”) and based on the Pulitzer-Prize-winning play of the same name, “Rabbit Hole” focuses on the lives of Becca (Kidman) and Howie (Eckhart), a couple whose 4-year-old son died recently in an accident.

The film deals beautifully with two characters’ opposing reactions to grief. Becca deals with her son’s death by attempting to forget him, removing all traces of him from the house, while Howie copes by holding on to the child’s memory and watching a home video of the family daily.

Becca is obviously the more hysterical of the two. She constantly makes scenes in public, once even fighting with her mother for comparing her son’s death to the death of her 30-year-old brother from a heroin overdose.

However, Becca’s character development throughout the film is evident and one of the film’s strong points. We are able to see Becca transform from bottling her emotions to finally asking her mother if the pain of losing a son ever becomes bearable. Dianne Wiest, who plays Becca’s mother, delivers a touching monologue that subtly reminds the audience that the film was adapted from a play.

The astounding performances of the actors in “Rabbit Hole” are the main reason for the film’s success. For example, a conversation that escalates into a screaming match between Becca and Howie reduced many audience members to tears.

The film also includes a notable performance by Sandra Oh, who plays a member of a therapy group Becca and Howie attend.

Rabbit Hole will have a limited release on Dec. 17 and will be released nationwide Jan. 14.