Nothing is more disheartening than when a studio pulls what's known as a "cheat" when creating a movie trailer or TV spot.  That usually means cutting material to make the picture look like it's something that it's not.  Most of the time, it's used to make a comedy look much funnier than it is, but it can even be done to position a picture as more "important" than it is (see the latest trailer for "Made in Dagenham," a movie this pundit is actually a fan of).  It's refreshing then, that Lionsgate isn't pulling any punches with the new preview for "Rabbit Hole."

Both HitFix's Drew McWeeny and I are big fans of John Cameron Mitchell's startling drama which was one of the big surprises at the 2010 Toronto Film Festival. Easy to pass off as another drama about a couple dealing with the death of their child, the adaptation of David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize winning play is also a spot on exploration of mother and daughter relations.  Moreover, the picture features fantastic performances across the board from Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart and Diane Weist.  The latter is already a leading contender in the best supporting actress race, but it's Kidman's turn which is the most impressive.  

Since winning an Oscar for "The Hours," Kidman has seemed to sleepwalk through roles in pictures such as "Cold Mountain," "Birth," "Margot at the Wedding" and "Australia."  It's not that Kidman wasn't good, but it's been a long time since she has been as raw and real as she is in "Rabbit Hole."  You get more than a glimpse of that in the new trailer embedded above.

What do you think?

"Rabbit Hole" opens in select theaters on Dec. 17.