''The Kids Are All Right'' (2010 movie)- Review

 

Directed by: Lisa Cholodenko
Released: 2010
Country: United States

Genre: Comedy-drama

Cast: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta, Zosia Mamet, Kunal Sharma, Eddie Hassell

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review

''The Kids Are All Right'' is a comedy-drama film that remains quite light and at the end, it gives you a simple ending, not something fairytalish. It is an enjoyable, quite charming film, that may not touch your emotions, but remains a movie highly worth watching.

It is about a lesbian couple, Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening), and their happy family. They have two children, Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Wasikowska, ''Alice in Wonderland''). They were given birth using the same sperm donor. Joni is the elder, a sweet, charming, and intelligent girl who is to start college soon. Laser is the younger, sensitive, athletic and soft-spoken.

Now, Laser wants to get in touch with the sperm donor. But he can't do so as he's not 18 yet. Joni agrees to do so, and soon, they get in touch with their sperm donor. The person is Paul, played by the charming and handsome Mark Ruffalo. He runs a restaurant, and is a very likeable person.

Laser and Joni decide not to tell anything to their Moms. But however, soon they come to know about it, and they decide to meet Paul as well. Soon, Laser and Joni get very close to Paul, and Jules decides to design Paul's garden, as she has decided to start a business of landscape designing.  While Nic's relation with Paul remains distant, Nic and Paul start an affair. Soon, this starts bringing problems and tensions to the family.

No, it is not a love triangle film. It is far from that. Instead, it is rather a film about them, about Nic, Jules, Paul and their children.  Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, and the kids, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson, are well-cast in their roles, and give quite excellent performances. The screenplay is witty and good. Cinematography is VERY praiseworthy. 

And overall, ''The Kids Are All Right'' may not be an excellent film, yet it is a smart, good, and enjoyable one.

3.5 out of 5