The Kids Are Alright (2010) - dir. Lisa Cholodenko ****

Lisa Cholodenko hits top form in this heartfelt comedy about two children conceived by artificial insemination, who bring their birth father into their family. Bening looks a lock for a Best Actress nomination.  


The Kids Are Alright may just be this years answer to "Little Miss Sunshine", only funnier and better acted. With mesmerizing performances by Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo, and strong supporting roles for Julianne Moore and Mia Wasikowska, the film grows on us as it progresses into something much bigger and sadder than the premise leads us to believe.

The Kids Are Alright centers on a lesbian marriage, although it shies away from themes of homosexuality. Instead, it microscopes marriage itself, an adventure that is universally challenging and daunting - something we may not have been raised to prepare for. The couple involves Nic (Bening) and Jules (Moore), who raise an angst-ridden boy named Laser and a sweet, intelligent girl named Joni. Basically, each mother gave birth to one of the children, but the kids are half-siblings because only one sperm donor was used. That's about as complicated as the movie gets.

They are a middle-class family living in suburban Los Angeles. Nic is a hard-working doctor, while Jules flits from one job to the next. This time, she tries her hand at garden landscaping, to Nic's disapproval. Like every marriage, they're going through a mini-crisis, but this is nothing compared to what awaits them.

The comfortable home life that Nic and Jules have created is rocked when Joni and Laser decide to meet their sperm donor, without telling their parents. Their father is the lovable and relaxed Paul (Ruffalo), about as far away from Nic and Jules as you could get. Paul owns a small organic restaurant. His life is sad, yet he seems content with it. He's never been married. He's got no children. And he occasionally sleeps with one of his co-workers for sexual satisfaction.

When Nic and Jules find out about Paul, they disapprove, although their liberal exterior forces them to accept him into their lives. Paul tries to win their approval by hiring Jules to design a new garden for his house. At this moment, the adult lives' suddenly get a lot more complicated. Nic and Jules fight increasingly more, with Nic retreating to alcohol to deal with the impending stress that Paul brings. Thus, she pushes Jules further and further away. When Jules and Paul sleep together, everything is thrown into question. I mean... everything. Jules tries to come to terms with her infidelity, but she ends up sleeping with Paul daily as she finishes up his garden. Paul falls in love with Jules. Everybody loves someone else, and this setup leads to a brilliant third act when Nic discovers the shocking truth.

Cholodenko create a fascinatingly original portrait of marriage, and the consequences of children, betrayal, but ultimately, loneliness. Bening's performance is amongst the best of her career, and that's saying something when you look at her impressive resume (American Beauty, Julia and Julia). She's a lock for a best actress nomination, and it wouldn't surprise anybody if she went the full distance. It's also a breakout performance for Mia Wasikowska, who has stamped her authority as one of Hollywood's most talented young actresses. Ruffalo - as ever - is sublime. He carries the role with his lovable quality.

The true winner is Cholodenko's script -  along with her writing partner Stuart Blumberg - which captures the idealism and compromises that it takes to make a marriage work. The characters are real. They are alive. Made for a miniscule $4m, The Kids Are Alright is testament that great things come in small packages.