Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Cast: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson
Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Lead Actress (Bening), Best Supporting Actor (Ruffalo), Best Original Screenplay
Story: A married lesbian couple (Bening, Moore) worry when their teenage children seek out their sperm donor father (Ruffalo).
Review: The Kids Are All Right is reminiscent of another Lisa Cholodenko film I saw called High Art. That film was a well-intentioned indie with a strong central performance by Ally Sheedy, but had sloppy editing and a screenplay that felt like it needed a few more rewrites. I have not seen anything by Cholodenko since, but judging by this latest effort, she has come a long way as a screenwriter and filmmaker, although she has not completely shed some of the problems that doomed High Art. Yes, the Kids Are All right does have sloppy editing and the pacing is very awkward during the first act. However, this time she is not only aided by a strong central performance from Bening, but also the usually outstanding work of Moore and Ruffalo. Furthermore, Wasikowska and Hutcherson provide solid support as the children. And after the film gets through the first act hiccups, it starts to come together as a vivid portrait of a complex family dynamic and how the powerful bonds of family can persevere despite not fitting into traditional stereotypical norms. It may not be a perfect film, but it is memorable and not one to be missed.
Oscar Outlook: There is a small chance Bening could pull off an upset in the Lead Actress category if the Academy decides to honor her entire body of work. It would certainly be better than many other "Career Oscar" decisions made by the Academy. The film has zero chance in any other category.
Trivia: This is Bening's 4th nomination. She has lost twice to the same actress, Hilary Swank. In 1999, both Bening and Moore were nominated for Lead Actress.
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