The Kids Are All Right
2010
**½
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Cast: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta, Eddie Hassell
A conventional comedy-drama about an unconventional family. A middle-aged lesbian couple (Nic is a controlling breadwinner and Jules a fanciful dreamer) have two teenage children (Joni is at the brink of womanhood and Laser is an exploratory 15-year-old), who track down their biological father. The anonymous sperm donor turns out to be an easygoing bachelor who upsets the family's delicate balance. The premise is fresh but this well-acted film is ultimately quite conservative. Replace Bening with a male actor and it wouldn't make any difference. Although these characters are subversive, at least on the surface, they all behave just like you'd expect.
