The Kids Are All Right

As part of my annual watch-as-many-nominated-films-as-possible-before-the-Oscars rush, I recently sat down to watch The Kids Are All Right. Despite being nominated in no fewer than four awards, including Best picture and Best Actress, my expectations were muted. I mean, middlebrow, middle-class comedy-drama isn’t exactly the most enticing genre for a twenty-three year-old male. But in this instance, I am very pleased to admit that my lack of enthusiasm was sorely misplaced. The Kids Are All Right is a warm, unconventional and excellent film.

No doubt causing a quiver of controversy among the American Right, the movie details the fall-out after the two teenage children of a comfortable suburban L.A. family go in search of their sperm-donor biological father; the catch being that the two parents are a lesbian couple Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening). As director Lisa Cholodenko is a lesbian mother whose child was conceived by donor sperm and co-writer Stuart Blumberg donated sperm himself while at college, the plot has a veracity and a heart-felt feel to it.

The film starts with an incongruous montage of 15 year-old Laser (Josh Hutcherson) skating, snorting and smoking with a buddy of his, accompanied by the spiky, up-tempo ‘Cousins’ by Vampire Weekend. This opening, combined with the title, is calculated subterfuge, misleading the viewer into thinking that it may be another teen coming of age drama. A relatively minor constituent part, the film is much more than that. Laser’s wayward behaviour is contrasted with his saintly, science whizz sister, Joni (Mis Wasikowska), who is preparing to leave for college at the end of the summer and suffering from unrequited love. On Laser’s instigation, the pair go in search of their biological father, who turns out to be So-Cal dropout, turned successful organic restaurateur, Paul (Mark Ruffalo). Initially mildly irritating, given his penchant for staring glassy-eyed and studding his sentences with “right on”, Paul impresses Joni and disappoints Laser.

It is when their meeting comes to the attention of their “Moms” that the real drama begins to unfold. Doctor Nic is the bibulous, stricter parent and Jules the stay-at-home mother who never quite became an architect; their difference in approach in some way the route of the troubles. After an affair begins between Paul and Jules, the very fabric of their relationship is strained and put to the test. It is as if the conventional is in someway challenging their situation.

A naturalistic, organic film filled with incredible performances, it is engaging and amusing all at once. It is not hard to see why Bening won the Golden Globe as she, Ruffalo and Moore are fantastic in inhabiting the roles they play. The two children also deserve a special mention for their acting. The Kids Are All Right is an intelligent, poignant and witty portrait of a very modern family facing very modern issues. It is certainly well worth both all the acclaim and a watch.

(Out on DVD on 21 March)