[7.75/10] The Kids Are All Right (2010)

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

In Lisa Cholodenko'a well-acclaimed drama, two teenage children conceived by artificial insemination, get the notion to seek out their birth father and introduce him into the family life that their two mothers have built for them. Once the donor is found, the household will never be the same, as family ties are defined, re-defined, and then re-re-defined. "The Kids Are All Right" may not have the most original plot or best visuals, but it's a smartly-scripted, fantastically-acted and enormously interesting family drama that feels incredibly realistic, emotional and down-to-earth. "The Kids Are All Right" is strictly character-driven and it's led by excellent performances from a hugely-talented ensemble cast. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are both incredible as the lesbian mothers, Nic and Jules, and their relationship feels credible, sincere and very likable. The bitter-sweet interactions between them are filled with such a believability, it's overwhelming. Mark Ruffalo is simply perfect for his role as the carel-free sperm donor and father of the kids, Paul. His performance isn't exactly amazing, but his possesses an unexplainable manipulative charm, that makes him so captivating and so alluring, it's hard to take your eyes off of him, when he's on screen. Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson both do a good job as the kids who are "all right", with Mia Wasikowska in particular being the standout, as she delivers a very sensitive, yet tough performance as Joni - a character that feels more mature and intelligent than her age implies. Josh Hutcherson is like a rough diamond - he's potentionally very good, but his acting skills are still not polished enough. Lisa Cholodenko's direction is spot-on competent, the editing is skillful, and the pacing while slow it's pretty flawless. Also, Cholodenko shows a keen eye for visual, giving the movie a distinctly fuzzy, grainy look with pale and washed-out color palette, that perfectly captures the shimmering mood of the film. Simple, realistic, nicely-shot and amazingly-performed, "The Kids Are All Right" is a serious Oscar contender and, without any doubt, one of year's best dramas.