The Kids Are All Right

One daughter, one son, two moms, and one sperm donor. It’s the pinnacle of the new American family. In “The Kids Are All Right” we follow this family led by Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) into an extremely unique view of what is needed to keep a family together. They are a lesbian couple trying to raise their artificially inseminated kids: a high school graduate, Joni (Mia Wasikowska), and teen troublemaker, Laser (Josh Hutcherson). But when their kids try to find their sperm donor father, they get more than they bargained for.

Once Paul (Mark Ruffalo), an unmarried restaurant owner, finds out he is their biological father he wants to be a part of their lives. It is awkwardly funny as they begin to open up to him. Nic and Jules find out their kids have tracked down this man and begin to worry the effect he might have on them. They all have lunch together and Nic isn’t impressed. On the other hand Jules hits it off with Paul and starts her new landscaping business in his backyard. When flirting ensues between the two, they can’t help but jump right into an affair.

Laser and Joni continue to purse a relationship with Paul, and create a strong bond with him. Trouble jumps in early when jealousy between Joni and Nic starts, as well as rebellion from the kids in spite of how their parents are acting towards Paul. Joni is leaving for college soon, Laser is having trouble with friends, Nic is stressed that she is losing her family, and to top it off Paul and Jules are having an affair they know needs to stop. This story is full of drama at every turn and never lets up.

It never feels like this was promoting or making fun of lesbians or gays in anyway. Which is something they could easily bring up. It instead is a very unique story of a very unique family. The portrayal of this family is something that the normal viewer doesn’t see too often. The writers Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg create serious conflict that is so rich you can’t stop from grabbing onto it. All of the characters are so different from each other and yet all are intertwined by something special.

Sex has a strong force on this family in many different respects. The parents have a troubled sex life and are feeling more and more disconnected. Paul is getting older and is having sex just to feel something. Joni’s friend is constantly pressuring her to have sex. It easily accumulates into one big problem. Sex has control on this family and is one of the main problems that sparks the downward spiral.

I am caught in the middle of this family’s struggles and find myself fighting with them. I know the basic premise before the movie starts but am still interested with how they are going to address their unique problems. What I imagine as unique problems aren’t shown as such but are treated like it was any other family. It isn’t the fact that they are lesbians. It isn’t the fact they have children from a sperm donor. It becomes much more than that. The story is told like they area a normal couple and a normal family going through normal troubles. The Director/Writer Lisa Cholodenko is able to balance so many controversial topics and stir them all up together into a beautifully crafted film. 


FINAL GRADE: A