FILM CHALLENGE: 100) The Kids Are All Right

100) The Kids Are All Right

Director: Lisa Cholodenko

Year: 2010

Plot Summary: Two children conceived by artificial insemination attempt to bring their birth father into their family life.

The Kids Are All Right is a classic portrait of a modern American household touching on many of the issues that families have to deal with: Trust, appreciation, independence, togetherness, etc. It doesn't matter that the couple depicted is a pair of lesbians, each with her own teen birth-child from the same anonymous sperm donor.

This is one of the greatest things about the script: The film has gay themes, of course, but not those that show how the gay characters suffer because of their sexual identity. Instead, Nic and Jules are just normal people who face the same kinds of problems that any couple, regardless of orientation, would have to deal with. Sexuality doesn't change the fact that we are all so very human in our strengths as well as our failings. It's taken a long time for this kind of depiction to arrive in cinemas and, personally, it fills me with hope and joy to see it.

Aside from it's politics though, The Kids Are All Right is just a perfectly written comedy. The characters are almost impossible to not relate to in some way. Whether it's the daughter's struggle for independence and to be treated as an adult now that she is 18 and about to leave for college, whether it's the disillusioned son who is trying to find who he is and who he wants to be, whether it's Paul's realisation that he's no longer a young boy, or whether it's Nic and Jules themselves as they find themselves strained by their marriage and how separated from each other they feel.

Moreover, they are all brought to life by some outstanding performances. Annette Benning and Julianne Moore are certainly looking at Oscars for their two roles here. As is Mark Ruffalo who, in my opinion, gives the finest performance of his career here.

It's definitely a poignant film, , but it's also one that is very, very funny. My screening last night had people howling and cringing with laughter. But, amazingly, the humour is never forced and feels completely natural to the characters and the family that is presented in The Kids Are All Right. This, I guess, is a testament to the screenplay by Lisa Cholodenko which is by far and away the best that has been produced so far in 2010.

The Kids Are All Right has pretty much everything I look for in a movie and, therefore, being part of this family's life for two hours was thoroughly entertaining. I loved this film.

5/5

By Daniel Sarath with 1 comment