After weeks and weeks of reading rave reviews from critics and movie-goers I finally saw The Kids Are All Right. The movie tells the story of a family whose life gets rocked by meeting the kids' sperm donor.
Annette Benning and Julianne Moore play Nic and Jules, a lesbian couple who could not be more opposite. Annette Benning is magnificent as the type A, controlling, OB/GYN who rules the roost. While she has great success at work, she drinks wine like water and often puts down her less grounded partner.
Julianne Moore plays bohemian, free spirited Jules. A stark contrast to her partner, Jules drifts from job to job and is supremely lenient with her children.
Mia Wasikowska, of Alice and Wonderland fame, plays first born, Joni (named after Joni Mitchell). Wasikowska plays the dutiful daughter flawlessly. My fellow movie pals said she should get an academy award for her lip quiver alone.
Josh Hutcherson plays the baby of the family, Laser. A new comer to the Hollywood scene, Hutcherson has a quiet but strong presence that is best demonstrated through his silent, brooding pauses.
Lastly, rugged, sexy, Mark Ruffalo plays Joni and Laser's sperm donor, Paul. Living the bachelor life as a restaurant and farm owner, Paul is stunned to receive the call from the sperm bank alerting him his children want to meet him.
This film showcases brilliant actors telling the painfully true story of what happens when life throws you a curve ball. Solid relationships are shaken, new relationship forms, people morph into new and different versions of themselves and somehow we all have to carry on.
While I had a few favorite scenes, I don't want to give away an ounce of the plot as it takes many unexpected twists and turns. The film is heart breakingly authentic.
While the entire lead cast of this movie is incredible, I want to give extra props to Annette Benning and Mark Ruffalo. I hope they both find themselves nominated for countless golden statues. I also think the whole cast deserves a round of applause for agreeing to appear on screen with minimal make up, adding to the realistic feel of the movie.
You must see The Kids Are All Right. Read the fantastic review by Lisa Schwarzbaum for Entertainment Weekly.
