THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
US, 2010, 105 minutes, Colour.
Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutchison, Mark Ruffalo.
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko.
Writer-director Lisa Cholodenko has been interested in relationships and families and, especially, the role of women, their behaviour and feelings.
This is a serious comedy with verve which keeps audiences interested, often amused, often challenged.
The two kids belong to a nuclear family, two parents, two children, one parent a doctor, the breadwinner, the other usually stays at home but has tried some careers and now intends to do garden landscaping. One kid is 18, going to college, a science buff, the other 15 with the usual adolescent problems. The difference is that the kids have two mums who have been in a relationship for the best part of twenty years. Each has borne a child through artificial insemination.
The plot development shows the two mums, their personalities, the strong and controlling doctor (Annette Bening) and the softer, home mum (Julianne Moore). While their own relationship has its particular characteristics and gender consequences, their parenting and dealing with their children's issues seems only too familiar from husband-wife marriage and rearing.
The son (Josh Hutcherson) wants to find out about the sperm donor for his and his sister's conception. The daughter (Mia Wasikowska – Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland) makes enquiries and quite easily discovers Paul (Mark Ruffalo) and they meet.
As might be expected, Paul, now older and wiser and running a restaurant, is drawn into being something of a father-figure. The mums have mixed feelings, the doctor hostile, thinking her role has been invaded. Paul gives the landscaper a job and emotional complications follow.
Media often focus on issues of same-sex male families, parenting and adoption. Here the drama is of female same-sex parents managing families.
There are funny moments, some serious reflection on contemporary issues. Audiences who have previous views may not alter them one way or the other. But, while the kids are all right, the presence of the male father-figure sometimes makes them better.
1.A film that is both light and serious? Venturing into taboo areas?
2.An American look at these issues? Impact for Americans? Non-Americans?
3.The audience response to sperm donors, artificial insemination, lesbian couples, lesbian parenting, families, the effect on the children in their growing up? The film reinforcing or testing or challenging held views?
4.Principles and reason concern these issues, stories and emotions?
5.The introduction to the kids, Laser, skateboarding with Clay, wrestling with him, at home? Joni (called after Joni Mitchell) with her nice boyfriend, with Sasha and her sex talk, playing Scrabble? Joni eighteen, Laser fifteen?
6.The introduction to Nic and Jules, together for nineteen years or more, Nic giving birth eighteen years earlier, Jules fifteen years earlier? The background of their meeting, at college, Jules and her tongue, Nic and her medical help? The two as women, the dominating doctor, wanting control, the other at home, trying careers but not succeeding? Age, their being together, love, parenting?
7.The parenting issues? Their children having friends, friends they disapproved of, issues of sexual orientation, videos, being late home, riding motorbikes, manners etc? The parents’ behaviour? The kids’ response?
8.Laser and his wondering about the donor? Asking Joni to search? Her reluctance, phoning the department, getting the information, phoning Paul, the easy contact, the arrangement for the meeting, talking? The meeting, Paul being impressed, the bonding?
9.Paul, his age, donor at nineteen, sixty dollars for each donation, dropping out of college, seeing himself as a doer, building up his restaurant, his gardens and healthy vegetables? The strawberry girl and her flirting? His assistant at the restaurant and his affair with her? Not committed?
10.The effect of meeting Joni and Laser on Paul? His feeling a father figure, his interest in Joni, her having a meal with Sasha at the restaurant, the ride home on the motorbike? Throwing baskets with Laser, the discussion about cremation and burial? Clay and the photos and his accident? His pride in the children?
11.The offer of the job for Jules, her setting herself up for work, Nic’s disapproval, later approval, buying the implements, her buying the truck and Nic having difficulties with this? The sexual attraction, their having an affair? The gardener and his observation, Jules firing him? Nic inspecting the garden? Joni and her work in the vegetable garden? Their all chopping the vegetables to prepare the meal?
12.The effect on Nic, her wariness of Paul, dislike for him? Feeling that he was taking over the children? Her drinking? Jules’ criticisms? Her idea of the dinner, their going to Paul’s place? Her flirting and bubbling about Joni Mitchell? Going to the bathroom, finding Jules’ hair, her inspecting the rooms?
13.The confrontation, issues of blame, hurt? The sleeping on the couch? The parallels with a heterosexual couple? The kids listening in?
14.Joni and her reaction, hanging up on Paul? Not wanting to talk with Jules? Laser and his being more ordinary in his reaction?
15.Joni, her character, her abilities, the scholarship, science? A competent young woman? Her relationship with Sasha and criticism of her? Her boyfriend, her drinking, kissing the boyfriend, his reaction? Her reaction to Nic and the criticism? The contrast with Laser, finding him with Clay, their wondering about sexual orientation and exploration, the videos, their interrogating him? His reactions?
16.Jules and Nic as a couple, their life together, the quality of their relationship? The cooking, the rearing of the children? Their own lives – and the watching of the sex video?
17.The outburst at the table, the couple who were friends, Nic going to the bathroom, her outbursts?
18.Jules’ speech about marriage, its importance?
19.Paul, falling in love with Jules, the final rejection? His apologies?
20.Joni and the family taking her to college, her wanting to be alone in the room? The farewells?
21.The kids being all right with their parents? The father figure entering their lives – and their being better?
