The Kids Are All Right

Joining the ranks of Little Miss Sunshine, Up in the Air, Juno and American Beauty as a topical dramedy aimed squarely at the awards season, The Kids Are All Right tells the story of what happens when the teenage children of two upper-middle class lesbians go looking for their biological father. The film can pretty much be summed up as "Hey yo, it's the 21st century and things are different now, but also pretty much the same". Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) are an ageing gay couple who find that their relationship is growing stale and routine. Their 18 year old daugher Joni (Mia Wasikowska, from Alice in Wonderland) is about to leave for university and their 15 year old son Laser (Josh Hutcherson) is curious about the idea of a father figure. Into the mix comes Paul (Mark Ruffalo), the sperm doner who made all this possible. Paul is the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons - a catalyst for change that will turn all their lives upside down.

Mark Ruffalo is incredibly likeable as the flawed would-be father. He convinces you that he doesn't have any ulterior motives, even when he does. Paul seems to genuinely want to spend time with these kids, and I'm glad the film hangs onto that right until the end. Bening is very believable as a headstrong 50-something lesbian, she doesn't turn it into a caricature or sway too far towards being overly sympathetic or unsympathetic. Moore is good too, she gets her kit off a fair bit so kudos to her for continuing to deliver herself so completely into the hands of her art. If I had to single out one of the principle cast for praise though it would still have to be Bening, she gives the most realistic and original performance of the three principle cast members and she deserves recognition for her work as Nic.

Look, it's a pleasant and interesting comedy-drama but it's hard for me not to be a bit cynical about something that deals with a supposedly controversial subject in such a middling manner. At the end of the film I just felt like, is that it? A lot of the drama arises from Jules and Nic having to come to terms with extending of their family to include Paul, it's about building new relationships and getting outside of your comfort zone. The character of Paul walks a fine line between being dangerously irresponsible and an actual force for good. As much as the film seems to sway towards painting him as selfish, I like that he was shown as a positive role-model for each of the kids (especially in regards to how they choose their friends). Some of these plot strands threaten to raise the film above being average, and a lot of this is also down to the performances.

DIRECTOR: Lisa Cholodenko
WRITER/SOURCE: Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, based partially on Cholodenko's experiences.
KEY ACTORS: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson.

RELATED TEXTS:
- The one that immediately comes to mind is the French comedy La Cage aux Folles and it's American remake, The Birdcage.
- Other films about gay parenting include Bobbie's Girl, Get Your Stuff, the Australian film Violet's Visit, the British dramas Hollow Reed and The Hanging Garden, and the documentaries Paternal Instinct, All Aboard and Making Grace.

AWARDS
Academy Awards - nominated Best Film, Best Actress (Annette Benning), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo) and Best Original Screenplay.
BAFTAs - nominated Best Actress (Benning), Best Actress (Julianne Moore), Best Supporting Actor (Ruffalo) and Best Original Screenplay.
Golden Globes - won Best Film (Comedy/Musical) and Best Actress - Comedy/Musical (Benning). Also nominated for Best Actress - Comedy/Musical (Moore) and Best Screenplay.
Independent Spirit - nominated Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress (Benning), Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Ruffalo).