A mainstream movie by former art-house darling Lisa Cholodenko (whose High Art and Laurel Canyon I've admired), it's powered by the sheer star wattage of its three main leads: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo.
You must have picked up the plot? A lesbian couple each have one child by the same anonymous sperm donor and, when one child reaches 18, she makes contact with the donor. When he arrives he dislocates the domestic harmony.
The son seems to have most to gain, with a sane male role model rather than just his weird friend (and the latter's even weirder father).
But it's the daughter who bonds quickest, becoming Daddy's little girl without a struggle.
Annette Bening deserves particular credit as the control-freak doctor who dominates her family's life and holds it all together; a scene where she discovers a monstrous betrayal is extraordinary. But Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo are no slouches, either, and both make their characters utterly real, human and sympathetic. And funny, too.
This movie is a lot of fun, while also having interesting things to say about the nature of family. The lesbianism is neither tokenistic nor dominant -- it's just there, in all its refreshing delight.
And, of course, it doesn't hurt that Mark Ruffalo is a pretty good-looking guy with a pleasantly large number of sex scenes. Oh, yes.
But your memories will be dominated by the central couple.
The Kids are All Right: top film-making.
PS: I forgot to mention -- for those people who like that sort of thing, the movie also contains some delightful extracts from The Best of Colt, referenced in the end credits to enable you to buy the exact same gay porno:
Not really my cup of tea, sexually speaking, but very, very funny...
3 comments:
Ooh! So glad to read that you liked it. Am off to lounge on a sofa at the Screen on the Green on Sunday to see it. HIgh hopes.
I managed to go to a whole two films in the BFF, both fab - Loose Cannons and Howl.
Let's lounge on your sofas again soon, please. Been watching Grand Designs and thinking of you...
xx
You chose well: I've already praised the jolly japes of Loose Cannons, and Howl was utterly delightful (have been drafting a post about it for a couple of days now. Or, rather, started drafting one a couple of days ago but haven't got round to finishing it yet).
Sofa is awaiting you -- name the date!
And how talented is Mia, whom we first loved in In Treatment? (Btw, buckling down to Season 3 and it's VERY GOOD).
I would also single Benning out. That scene over dinner when she is piecing it all together while trying to keep up a front. Extraordinary.
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