Directed By: Lisa Cholodenko
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, & Josh Hutcherson
MPAA Rating: R
My Rating: 9 / 10
Having a family is hard. It doesn't matter if you are a straight couple with no children, a single mother with one child, or a gay couple with two children, there will always be complications. Despite religious leaders and politicians insisting that the best environment for a child contains a married man and woman, that is an over-simplification of the bonds that form among anyone who exists together as a family. Talk to any married person or to anyone who has children, and they will all tell you, "It is hard." The Kids Are All Right is not really about the difficulties of families, however, despite spending a great deal of time dealing with them. Instead, it is more about all of the things that make these difficulties worth while. Painting a beautiful and painstakingly authentic portrait of a modern family from California, the film tells the story of Nic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, respectively), partners who had two children, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson, respectively), thanks to an anonymous sperm donor. Each of the women gave birth to one of their children, making Joni and Laser half-siblings who share a biological father.
