The Kids Are All Right (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Nic & Jules (Annette Bening, Julianne Moore) are loving, committed lesbians in a less-than-perfect marriage in 'The Kids are All Right', written & directed by Lisa Cholodenko. Nic is a doctor with a type-A personality. And Jules is a passive-aggressive 'landscaper-for-now'. The couple have been together for over 20 yrs., & both conceived through artificial insemination from an anonymous donor. Joni (Mia Wasikowska, of this yrs. Alice in Wonderland), Nic's daughter, is 18 yrs. old, similar in temperament to her mom, & is about to leave home for college. Her final summer at home is at hand; but with a hint of sadness, so too comes the idea of freedom. Laser (Josh Hutcherson), is her 15 yr. old half-brother. So, the 2 share the same father but have different moms.
Joni & Laser know of all this and, now that she is '18', she calls the sperm bank for her little brother with a request to meet the biological father. Though he's understandably caught off-guard when he gets the call informing him that his kid(s) would like to meet him, 38 yr. old hippie Paul (Mark Ruffalo) is cool with the idea & agrees to meet 'em. The meeting goes well. Paul makes himself present for them. Nic & Jules aren't wild about this; particularly Nic. But with time, the five-some become affiliated enough to eat a seemingly nice dinner together. Still, Nic is suspicious, resentful, & perhaps jealous of the 'bond' he's formed with her kids, and ... Jules. To Nic, he's an interloper; lingering around to mooch & go along for this gnarly mid-life ride. But the stakes are higher for Nic. She doesn't want this guy coming in & disrupting the family flow. One thing's for sure, after Paul crossed their threshold, their lives would never be the same again.
'The Kids ...' is an unconventional family dramedy; more comedy than drama (thankfully), but the drama permeates, a lot. In other words, the film uses sensitivity, wit & wry humor to underline the serious plot points that arise. I love that the main relationship in the film is btwn. 2 lesbians; you just don't see it much. And if anything, though the sh*t hits the fan at times, this film show lesbians (as people & parents) in a fairly good light. The highs & lows that Nic & Jules experience are similar to what would occur in a heterosexual marriage. Nic is controlling, but also wants everyone to be right in the world. Jules is more submissive & flighty. Each of them could do for a dollop of what the other inhabits. But that's why their relationship has worked; that is, 'til recently (in the plot).
As in most marriages, negativity creeps in. In one early scene, Nic prepares a romantic bath for Jules (& her aching back). Everything goes great until Nic leaves the room to get bath oils. Many minutes go by before Jules exits the tub, finds Nic on the phone with a work call, & realizes that this has been happening on a regular basis. So when Jules has an eventual affair, it's because she's not getting ample affection at home; even if Nic 'believes' she's fulfilling her in the love/duty/devotion department. And the fact that Jules' lover is her children's biological father(!) adds extra craziness to the situation.
The actors really show how alternately rewarding & heartbreaking family life can be. Josh Hutcherson gives a stellar character portrayal (15 yr. old dealing with adolescence, 2 moms, & a less-than-savory dad). Mia Wasikowska really gets to show some range, here. And I found her performance as the sure-footed, yet melancholic Joni to be truly special. She almost made me cry in her last scene. The performance just felt very lived-in. And hers is the most sympathetic character in the film. I just wish the script gave a little more for both kids to chew on. Mark Ruffalo is wonderful as the too-cool Paul. It's a difficult role; playing a man with heart & soul, but often as immature (or worse) than his own children. Paul's as aggravating as he is funny ... I just wish his character arc was more defined. He's neither protagonist, nor villain. And he deserved a less ambiguous resolution.
Both Bening & Moore are brilliant; nailing every nuance & shade that one can hit in a 20 yr. marriage-on-the-rocks. Moore is onscreen the most, has the major plotline, & she creates the type of woman we all know in our own lives. That doesn't mean I like Jules. She's as annoyingly passive-aggressive as I can be {yes, I know myself}. But the portrayal is spot-on. And along with Ruffalo -- boy, is she not afraid of letting is ALL hang out, literally {haha}. As for Bening, it's just a powerhouse performance. She's just so damn funny as Nic, the Man of the family, so to speak. Whether it's her mannerisms, her quirks, her directness ... she, again, like Moore, plays a woman we all know in our own lives (domineering, but not aware that she's as bitchy as she is). Bening is funny, sad, & brings moments of sheer genius (like when she sings a poignant Joni Mitchell song at the dinner table). I just love her.
So, the acting is superb. And this contemporary portrait of American marriage is great to see. But if I can't heap unabashed praise, it's because the screenplay – which includes fantastic stretches of dialogue - isn't as challenging/meaty as it should be. The script (incident-laden) is more about honest characterization & character interaction than anything broaching 'depth'. The open ending - which I normally don't mind - felt too loose. Everything drizzles off in the end; and not in a "well, I'm already satiated by all that occurred throughout the movie, so it is okay" sort of way. The film needed a few more scenes to come to a more thorough, satisfying conclusion. Still, this is a funny, warm, & intuitive movie about some flawed, self-absorbed people. I love movies that showcase the human condition. And 'The Kids Are All Right' is the best example of the genre that I've seen all year.
Joni & Laser know of all this and, now that she is '18', she calls the sperm bank for her little brother with a request to meet the biological father. Though he's understandably caught off-guard when he gets the call informing him that his kid(s) would like to meet him, 38 yr. old hippie Paul (Mark Ruffalo) is cool with the idea & agrees to meet 'em. The meeting goes well. Paul makes himself present for them. Nic & Jules aren't wild about this; particularly Nic. But with time, the five-some become affiliated enough to eat a seemingly nice dinner together. Still, Nic is suspicious, resentful, & perhaps jealous of the 'bond' he's formed with her kids, and ... Jules. To Nic, he's an interloper; lingering around to mooch & go along for this gnarly mid-life ride. But the stakes are higher for Nic. She doesn't want this guy coming in & disrupting the family flow. One thing's for sure, after Paul crossed their threshold, their lives would never be the same again.
'The Kids ...' is an unconventional family dramedy; more comedy than drama (thankfully), but the drama permeates, a lot. In other words, the film uses sensitivity, wit & wry humor to underline the serious plot points that arise. I love that the main relationship in the film is btwn. 2 lesbians; you just don't see it much. And if anything, though the sh*t hits the fan at times, this film show lesbians (as people & parents) in a fairly good light. The highs & lows that Nic & Jules experience are similar to what would occur in a heterosexual marriage. Nic is controlling, but also wants everyone to be right in the world. Jules is more submissive & flighty. Each of them could do for a dollop of what the other inhabits. But that's why their relationship has worked; that is, 'til recently (in the plot).
As in most marriages, negativity creeps in. In one early scene, Nic prepares a romantic bath for Jules (& her aching back). Everything goes great until Nic leaves the room to get bath oils. Many minutes go by before Jules exits the tub, finds Nic on the phone with a work call, & realizes that this has been happening on a regular basis. So when Jules has an eventual affair, it's because she's not getting ample affection at home; even if Nic 'believes' she's fulfilling her in the love/duty/devotion department. And the fact that Jules' lover is her children's biological father(!) adds extra craziness to the situation.
The actors really show how alternately rewarding & heartbreaking family life can be. Josh Hutcherson gives a stellar character portrayal (15 yr. old dealing with adolescence, 2 moms, & a less-than-savory dad). Mia Wasikowska really gets to show some range, here. And I found her performance as the sure-footed, yet melancholic Joni to be truly special. She almost made me cry in her last scene. The performance just felt very lived-in. And hers is the most sympathetic character in the film. I just wish the script gave a little more for both kids to chew on. Mark Ruffalo is wonderful as the too-cool Paul. It's a difficult role; playing a man with heart & soul, but often as immature (or worse) than his own children. Paul's as aggravating as he is funny ... I just wish his character arc was more defined. He's neither protagonist, nor villain. And he deserved a less ambiguous resolution.
Both Bening & Moore are brilliant; nailing every nuance & shade that one can hit in a 20 yr. marriage-on-the-rocks. Moore is onscreen the most, has the major plotline, & she creates the type of woman we all know in our own lives. That doesn't mean I like Jules. She's as annoyingly passive-aggressive as I can be {yes, I know myself}. But the portrayal is spot-on. And along with Ruffalo -- boy, is she not afraid of letting is ALL hang out, literally {haha}. As for Bening, it's just a powerhouse performance. She's just so damn funny as Nic, the Man of the family, so to speak. Whether it's her mannerisms, her quirks, her directness ... she, again, like Moore, plays a woman we all know in our own lives (domineering, but not aware that she's as bitchy as she is). Bening is funny, sad, & brings moments of sheer genius (like when she sings a poignant Joni Mitchell song at the dinner table). I just love her.
So, the acting is superb. And this contemporary portrait of American marriage is great to see. But if I can't heap unabashed praise, it's because the screenplay – which includes fantastic stretches of dialogue - isn't as challenging/meaty as it should be. The script (incident-laden) is more about honest characterization & character interaction than anything broaching 'depth'. The open ending - which I normally don't mind - felt too loose. Everything drizzles off in the end; and not in a "well, I'm already satiated by all that occurred throughout the movie, so it is okay" sort of way. The film needed a few more scenes to come to a more thorough, satisfying conclusion. Still, this is a funny, warm, & intuitive movie about some flawed, self-absorbed people. I love movies that showcase the human condition. And 'The Kids Are All Right' is the best example of the genre that I've seen all year.