We live metformin hydrochloride and alcohol in a time of rights movements of all kinds. The biggest probably being the debate between the legalization of same-sex marriage. A handful of states have made this possible, but most stand strong behind their Biblical beliefs. The term “family” isn’t as simple as it used to be, and that’s of course not a bad thing. In the past family stereotypes demanded the foundation of a husband, a wife, and a child. The Kids Are All Right gives us what has become a new dynamic of family — the 21th century family. This family isn’t pinned down to any norms or pre-requisites. It’s eclectic in more forms than one. Mixed races, same sex, adopted families, surrogates, et al.
Kids‘ family is of the same-sex sort. Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are married and chose to each have a child through the sperm bank from a single, anonymous donor. Joni (Mia Wasikowska) is 18 and months away from going to college; she’s a straight-A science whiz. Laser (Josh Hutcherson) is 15 and a fairly standard teenage kid; loves sports, screws around with his best friend, etc.
As Joni has just turn 18, Laser asks her to make the call to the sperm bank to find out who their father is. It’s a natural progression you’d assume two kids of this age would like to do. Said father turns out to be Paul (Mark Ruffalo), chef and owner of a locally grown, natural foods restaurant. He rides a motorcycle, lives independently, and is his own boss, the complete opposite of Nic’s preferred way of life. As Paul’s presence grows with Joni, Laser, and even Jules, he disrupts Nic’s lifestyle plan for their family.
As everyone else becomes more comfortable with Paul, Nic becomes less and sees problems at hand. Joni wants to be more independent. She’s a grown woman and wants to do as she pleases before she leaves for college. Laser wants a father figure, and as well as Nic and Jules have provided and built a family for he and Joni, they could never fill that void. All of these collective issues help Kids become relatable and authentic because no matter what type of family you have, those issues will always be there.
While Kids exists in the now, and follows the summer months leading up to Joni leaving for school, it doesn’t make strong use of its sense of time. Joni is ultimately the catalyst and the one who has to call Paul, drive to go see Paul with Laser, and is on the verge of moving into the next stage of her life and effectively changing the dynamic of their family. I’m not sure there’s enough focus there behind her feelings and character, or at least I didn’t see it. She seems too passive at times, whether it concerns her social relationships, her dictated (yet never shown) passion for school and science, or it may be the fault of the plot itself as a character ensemble.
Laser is thin as a character and represents the stereotype of an adolescent jock, who happens to be in a situation more compelling than himself. But this is no fault of Wasikowska and Hutcherson who do good with what they have, Wasikowska especially. The real focus lends on the adults with Ruffalo, Bening and Moore, who powerfully portray their own respective difficulties with post-adolescent life. The performances are strong all around with Moore shining during a climactic moment near the end that might even earn her an Oscar nomination.
In the end it’s a relief to see that Kids doesn’t suffer the clichés of indie filmmaking. It never feels forced or kitschy as many indies do. It’s real. It’s heartfelt. It’s relatable. What’s most interesting is that however different Nic and Jules’ new age family may seem, it’s really no different from any other. They’re rife with the same problems of the general family dynamic, but in a rather different measure of circumstances. Family life is hard. Marriage is hard. But the strong ones fight through the problems and come out for the better. While character may lack at times, rightfully paramount to all else, Cholodenko understands and communicates family ideals better than most.
Overall: 7/10.
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko. Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg. Cinematography by Igor Jadue-Lillo. Edited by Jeffrey M. Werner. Original Music by Carter Burwell, Nathan Larson & Craig Wedren. Casting by Liz Dean & Laura Rosenthal. Production Design by Julie Berghoff.
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson and Yaya DaCosta.
