The Kids Are All Right

The dramedy is a peculiar creature of the filmmaking jungle. It has two disagreeing tones, both of which should automatically cancel each other out upon contact. It has seriousness mixed in with a comedic status, the two of which wouldn't be expected to bond in a happy marriage. It aims to have the best of both contravening worlds, to examine a duo of mismatched pals, and anticipates them coming out entirely fine. It shouldn't work, and sometimes it doesn't, but, every now and then, magic can happen.

Like any dramedy, The Kids Are All Right goes from a comical, cheerful nature to a tearful, occasionally depressing, boo-hoo attitude. Unlike many contributions to this schizophrenic conjunction of wildly opposing genres, Lisa Cholodenko's heart-warming feature perfectly combines the two contradicting styles, resulting in a gloriously funny family drama that hits hard whenever it wants to.

Its subject family is what many would consider an unconventional one. On the surface, they appear to be a relatively regular household. Two parents, two teenage kids, a splendid home in the suburbs of L.A., complete with the occasionally materialising domestic disturbances we all have to face one time or another. Only idiosyncratic thing here is that the adult couple consists of two women, and their son and daughter were conceived through artificial insemination, the biological father an anonymous sperm donor.

One day, the two adolescents, 18-year-old Joni (Alice in Wonderland's Mia Wasikowska) and 14-year-old Laser (Bridge to Terabithia's Josh Hutcherson), get a little curious and decide to sneakily contact their birth pop, who turns out to be Paul (Eternal Sunshine’s Mark Ruffalo), an organic farmer and owner of a successful restaurant. They meet, they talk, and they part ways, leaving Joni with a desire to bring Paul a little closer to the family, painting some trouble in the distance.

The Kids Are All Right is a film that explores themes of home life, of marriage, and of sexuality. The couple, Nic (American Beauty's Annette Bening) and Jules (Children of Men's Julianne Moore), are just like any other wedded twosome, the same-sex aspect of their 20-year-long relationship almost forgotten within the film's compelling, if loose, narrative. The fact that they're lesbians rightfully matters not; they are an item with spark, yet bumps in the road still come along their way.

The script, written by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg (The Girl Next Door), allows for our characters to be human beings with human mannerisms and forgivable flaws, delightfully interacting with one another. Uncomfortable silences are used comically, augmenting awkwardness and social tension, both excruciating and brilliant at the same time. The scene in which Paul first meets his two offspring is especially cringe-worthy, but equally fascinating in its unflinching delivery.

Dialogue flows naturally, scribed with humour and drama, displayed excellently by an accomplished cast. Cholodenko keeps the mood warm at times and cold at others, depending on whether the film is in comedic or dramatic mode -- it's usually in a whimsical territory.

Annette Bening plays the more stuck-up mother of the same-sex couple, referred to by Ruffalo as the "griller of the family." She's a responsible, career-minded, wine-aholic hard-ass who is troubled by Ruffalo's abrupt involvement in her beloved family life. Her short hair is appropriate, she being the more masculine of the two lesbian lovers, grabbing social dominance upon meeting the never-before-seen sperm donor.

Julianne Moore, on the other hand, is a laid-back red-head whose long hair represents femininity, as opposed to Bening's short-cut style. She's not as talkative as her wife, not as socially confident, but she is nonetheless a strong and kind woman who desires something more in her life, possibly brought upon by Ruffalo's sudden entrance on her doorstep.

On first glance, Paul is something of a free spirit, shown as a flirtatious womaniser who, around two minutes following his introduction, we watch having wild sex with his co-worker, Tanya (Take the Lead's Yaya DaCosta). Upon closer inspection, however, he has a gentle and compassionate side to him, a yearning heart beating in his chest, although sometimes saying and doing things without fully thinking of the consequences. A high school dropout and more of a doing man than a learning man, Ruffalo is a relatable lead alongside Bening and Moore.

The two siblings, Joni and Laser, are played effortlessly by Wasikowska and Hutcherson, not letting down their rising-star potential. Joni -- named after the famous Miss Mitchell -- is a bright, straight-A student without being a generic nerd, while Laser is more interested in sports and his friendship with a brutish douchebag than school work.

Each character is remarkably likable despite some of their actions; one can't help but feel sympathy for them once domestic trouble rears its vicious head. At times one completely forgets their immoral or questionable behaviour, feeling for them in spite of their shifty activities. Accredited to both the acting and the writing, it's part of the film's alluring charm.

The Kids Are All Right is not just "all right", it is a fantastically well written exploration of a seemingly not-so-typical, postmodern family that is increasingly ordinary once examined more thoroughly. The cast is equally spectacular, the script is both hilarious and heart-wrenching, and the film is just a breath of fresh air for movies dealing with homosexuality. It's here, it's queer, and I'll very gladly get used to it.

9/10