The Kids Are All Right (2010)

Anyway, on to the review!!

This film, much like Inception, was one I went into quite blindly. I knew nothing of this movie aside from what a small 5×7 postcard I found at the Alamo Drafthouse told me. The postcard looked nice, with a sweet seemingly modern family all sitting together enjoying a lunch with a spectacularly azure colored view of L.A. (at least I assume it was L.A. One of the beauties of this film is it’s anonymity, which I will discuss in a moment). There were relatively beautiful people on said postcard, smiling and laughing, and looking just like any other modern family I would encounter in my own life. I was intrigued, plus I had some coupons for free tickets, so I saw the movie.

About 20-30 minutes into the movie I discovered that Annette Benning and Julianne Moore are my favorite lesbian couple in film. Benning plays Nic, a critical and slightly uptight physician with affections for Joni Mitchell, red wine, and apparently Austin’s own Antone’s (needless to say the theatre erupted in sounds of pride at the sight of her shirt bearing a recognizable name). Moore plays Jules, who, although achieving a degree in architecture, never managed to get a solid career off the ground and maintains a slightly flustered yet zen composure, at least in comparison to her partner. And that’s exactly what they are – partners. Although their marriage isn’t perfect they seem to balance each other out as parents, and with their own personal demons. They aren’t two super sexy fembots faking it, they aren’t playing the “man” or “woman” in the relationship, they’re playing a married couple who happens to run into a few road bumps on their journey (I know, overused metaphor. Sorry).

And the kids – OH the kids – how I love them, too! Mia Wasikowska, who some of you may know from Tim Burton’s recent regurgitation of Alice in Wonderland, plays Joni, their oh so perfect Rory Gilmore of a daughter who just turned 18 and is set and ready for college life. Josh Hutcherson, who some of you may know from Zuthura, Bridge to Tarabithia, or The Vampire’s Assistant, plays the aptly named Laser, their 15 year old son who acts like any other 15 year old, but just happens to have one major tool of a friend. These kids remind me of myself, my friends, kids I know now, and subtly through the magical art of cinema manage to emphasize the fact that OMG LOOK GAY PEOPLE RAISE KIDS JUST AS WELL AS STRAIGHT PEOPLE DO!!!

That point is even stated later in the film. Joni, after she’s come home a liiittle drunk from a party to a home where her parents are suddenly sleeping in separate rooms and is confronted by each parent for her current state, then confronts right back at them by asking what more they could ask of her. She got the best grades, she got into all the schools she applied for, so now her parents can prove they have the perfect little lesbian family.

But, obviously, it isn’t perfect.

Mark Ruffallo’s character, Paul the hip restaurant owner who happened to donate the very sperm that created the young ones, slowly attempts to enroll himself deeper and deeper into their lives, causing a lot more harm than good. At first, it’s fairly innocent, and maybe even not his own fault, as it was the kids themselves that sought him out. A few dinners, a few lunches, and suddenly he’s a part of their family, although maybe it’s best he shouldn’t be. He seems almost like a kid himself, slightly promiscuous, fairly independent, and he rides a motorcycle – the definitive icon of rebels and lone wolves. Both physically and emotionally he doesn’t appear to have room for the family he’s discovered, yet he persistently attempts to be a part of their lives, and make them a part of his. This ultimately proves to do more damage than good to either party.

As I mentioned before, the film has various elements of anonymity. One of which being Paul’s own anonymity as a sperm donor. The setting of the film also retains anonymity; there are no defining clues of where they live, what hospital Nic works at, what college Joni is going to, or even the name of Paul’s restaurant. This gives the film a sense that this could happen anywhere, to anyone, and that these people are no more different or messed up than anyone in my own life. Anonymity in movies, in my humble opinion, breeds a sense of comfort and familiarity in the audience. We can envelope ourselves in the story. This, in turn, makes it to feel the same hurt they feel.

*OKAY SPOILERS START NOW*

This brings me to my favorite scene in the film. Nic has just discovered that Jules has been having an affair with Paul, all while redesigning his garden. Nic sits down slowly at the dinner table, the camera closing in tight, watching slowly every twitch and twist as she silently absolves her pain. She sips from her glass of wine, she blinks slowly, the sound is soft and muffled, and then suddenly we rush back into the present just as she does. She doesn’t scream or shout, she doesn’t confront anyone, and acts fairly normal for the rest of the evening. But we know her pain.

I could go on forever about every subtle nuance in this movie, but I’ll just put it simply: The performances alone make it worth watching. There is sure to be “Oscar buzz” about most of the cast, and hopefully Mia Wasikowska especially, so you don’t want to miss out. Plus there’s gay man porn in it. Did I mention that?