The Hole is a 2001 British psychological thriller film directed by Nick Hamm, based on the 1993 novel After the Hole by Guy Burt. The film stars Thora Birch, Desmond Harrington, Daniel Brocklebank, Laurence Fox, Keira Knightley, and Embeth Davidtz. Filmed in 2000, the film featured Thora Birch in the lead role which was attributed to her appearance in American Beauty (1999). It also marked Knightley's first major role in a feature film.