Written by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko
Starring, Julianne Moore, Annette Bening. Mark Rufalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson
Running time: 104 minutes
Released July, 2010
As a friend pointed out, substitute a man for either of the women in this film and you have the most prosaic of stories. It’s that switch that elevates it from a Lifetime movie to a wide-release, big budget film. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT details the very ordinary family life of a lesbian couple (Moore and Bening), who are going through one of the rough spots in a marriage. The women used the same sperm donor to provide them with their two children. The younger child (Hutcherson) persuades his sister (Wasikowska), who is going off to college and feels guilty about leaving, that they need to know the man who provided the sperm. This turns out to be rather easy to do.
That man (Rufalo) is happy to make their acquaintance. A little too happy perhaps. He wants to insert himself into their lives and into Ms. Moore. He hires Moore to help him landscape his garden and along the way, they become involved. But this is not a serious look at this or any issue. Instead it is an enjoyable way to admire the fine acting, lovely sets, good characterization, and witty dialog. Everyone comes off looking pretty well in the end.
I did have a few problems with the film. Moore seemed entirely too willing to have an affair with a man. It was not established she was a bi-sexual and her attitude seemed to be, “I have been waiting for a man (and his penis) my whole life.” I found that rather offensive. Also I thought Rufalo’s desire to be part of the family was given short shrift. Once he had satisfied their curiosity, he was shoved out the door. Moore is forgiven for her sins, but not Rufalo. But these are smallish caveats to my enjoyment of an entertaining summer film.
Patti
Patti Abbott writes crime fiction short stories. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at http://www.pattinase.blogspot.com/ She hopes you’ll join in.
I didn't quite get I've been waiting for dick my whole life off of the Moore character, even if the affair was a bit easily entered. And as your friend George noted, replace Bening with a man and you might have something very much like UNFAITHFUL, but with far less melodrama. I'm rather glad that the film didn't make the characters completely noble, as they might have to be to keep Ruffalo's character in their lives.
It wasn't perfect, but it rang reasonably true to me. And some of my best friends have been lesbians, yes…
I agree with Todd; I didn't see it either.
I thought Bening was great, even if her personality was a little too close to my own mother's (without the lesbian thing of course).
I'm not a Rufalo fan but thought he did a good job here with what he was given.
It was certainly one of the more adult and intelligent films we've seen this summer.
Jeff M.
And some of mine.
She seemed completely undone by him to me. Frantic to hop into bed.
I agree with you that Mark Ruffalo's character was treated shabbily. He seemed happy to connect to his children. Yet, he was ostracized while Julianne Moore's character was forgiven.
George: That's because they weren't his children, in all but the most reductionist way. The family might forgive him eventually…but there was no reason for them to do so right away. Whereas to continue as a family, the Moore and Bening characters have things to work out but also must forgive and be forgiven.
Patti: Eh. Lust and vulnerability can be like that, and the fact that the all-but-married couple use gay male porn as stimulation does tend to suggest bisexual leanings…whatever the (rather funny) rationalizations the characters made in the film. There are all kinds of shades. If anything, my lesbian best friend, whom I saw the film with, bought the affair more readily as presented than I did.