Two women, Nic and Jules, brought a son and daughter into the world through artificial insemination. When one of their children reaches age, both kids go behind their mothers' backs to meet with th...
The Kids Are All Right is a progressive drama that is actually alright. To be fair, it's better than "alright". One of the first films to truly embrace the progressive decade that was to follow, it breaks away from traditional family dramas by featuring a lesbian couple. The beauty of the story is that the film is not about them. It's about marriage, proclaiming that the challenges faced within a tight family are universal, regardless of sexuality. That, to me, is a warm message that we should all acknowledge. A pair of children are raised by lesbian mothers, to which they soon want to meet their sperm donor. Unhappy that they are wanting to bring him into their family life, one of the mothers becomes persistent in keeping him away whilst the other (literally) embraces him. This is a drama that can only work based on its characters and the chemistry of the ensemble cast. Fortunately, both succeed remarkably well. Bening and Moore (I ship them both!) are two very different individuals with conflicting personalities, but their love for each other is incredibly emotional and tangible. Bening portraying an alcoholic and workaholic, she feels threatened by the inclusion of their father and inadvertently takes it out on her wife. This then pushes Moore's character away from her, believing that she is no longer valued and that their physical intimacy is dissipating. However the beauty of Cholodenko's screenplay is that it never makes the drama melodramatic, just because they are lesbian parents. In fact, it rarely forces you to acknowledge this family as a "special case". It felt natural. An important component in welcoming progression is the absence of special treatment. Everyone is equal, and I believe this script proves that with its warmth and light-hearted wit that made for a pleasant viewing. The ensemble cast was excellently constructed, with Moore and Ruffalo being the standouts.
Cholodenko however changes her perception of Ruffalo's character towards the end, and starts to view him as a source of hostility for the family. I think this is an unfair judgement. The lack of resolution in its conclusion ultimately left his character unfinished. Understandably, certain actions that occurred portray him to be disliked by the family. However if another certain individual can eventually be forgiven, so can he. It's a shame that his rejection wasn't resolved, as his charisma and bohemian-like lifestyle deserved better. Overall though this is a solid family drama that illuminates family values no matter the sexuality of the parents. Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or transsexual, we all face the same challenges in marriage regardless, and that is an important value to uphold.
