I have to say, I really enjoyed it and was quite glad that it avoided SO MANY of the typical clichés, although I'm not sure if I would recommend it to people who don't enjoy an intense, emotional film. I particularly rate the way that the plot revealed itself without relying on flashback or stilted exposition, and as a result I was really sucked into the film, and the characters, their grief and their 'healing process' (awful term). I almost felt sad when it ended, I was so involved with the film, but the way the final scene rolled out was beautiful and really couldn't have been more perfect as a way to end the story.
Eckhart and Kidman were absolutely fantastic. In particular, Kidman's methods of showing just how much she was holding back from the brink, the entire time, in every single scene regardless of what she was doing, felt so spot on.
The lack of clear exposition - and having to piece together what happened from snippets the characters say - sort of makes it feel like we're also observing Kidman and Eckart's loss from the outside, like everyone they encounter in the film. There's a sense of massive empathy, awkwardness (so much cringing and pain, especially in the bowling scene) and almost morbid curiosity, because we want to ask 'what happened to your son, when did he die, how old was he, who's fault was it, what's going on' but we can't. We have to wait to find this out, which seems to echo what their friends/family experience in the film, making it extremely good at drawing you in, instead of just forcing you to watch extended painful scenes of wailing and abject misery. It's delicate, which is one of the best things about this film.
There was one scene in particular (the one where he's walking the dog), after having held back and feeling upset for some time, I admit I did completely lose the plot and started crying, and thought I might have to leave the room, I was sobbing so much all of a sudden! It was just really powerful. I also found myself thinking a lot about the scene that happens in the basement, with the baby clothes and the description of grief as a brick - it was very nicely done.
All in all, I'm not sure if I would buy the DVD or feel the need to watch it again, but I enjoyed it and am glad to have seen it.