'The Kids Are All Right'

'The Kids Are All Right' (R) (3 1/2) stars)

Writers: Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta

Sometimes we go to the movies in the summer to see action, comedy, things blowing up and light fun. At a certain point you become numb to it all, especially this summer, easily the worst summer movie season in ages. What a breath of fresh air "The Kids Are All Right" is! I have been starving for an adult movie with people that are real, comedy that comes naturally and serious and dramatic moments that feel right. Here is a movie with characters I loved, wanted to spend two hours with and who come off as likable even with their faults. The movie displays two of the best performances I have seen by two actresses. Annette Bening and Julianne Moore play a married lesbian couple with two kids that were born by the help of a sperm donor. The daughter, solidly played by Mia Wasikowska, wants to find the sperm donor which leads her to the very laid back Paul played by my favorite actor these days, Mark Ruffalo. The movie is very well written and the married couple, Jules and Nic, seem like a real married couple. The chemistry between and impeccable work done by Moore and Bening make us believe they have been together for a long time. The movie does well in portraying that a married, gay couple has the same pains and ups and downs as heterosexual couples. The movie is nearly perfect in it's depiction of this marriage, how the kids fit into it and how things can change. We can't quite figure Paul out but I know that he was someone I would have liked to know in real life. Paul is a good person and means well, and even when a major shift comes in his relationship with Jules and Nic we still like him. The kids seem like real kids who say real things and that is due to the writing and brilliant work of Mia Wasikowska and also Josh Hutcherson. All the characters mean well and the best moments come when Bening and Moore play off each other. Watching this movie I realized all over again how beautiful and what great actresses Bening and Moore are. Their interaction off each other is funny, touching and strong. They will definitely be remembered at Oscar time and this is the first sure-fire nominee for Best Picture.

Mark Ruffalo has become one of my favorite actors and he does his best work here since "You Can Count On Me" which is one of my favorite movies of the past decade. He has been great in a lot of movies like "Zodiac" which is also one of my favorite movies of the past decade. He has been knocked for playing the same character lately, and I might agree, but here I found the old Mark Ruffalo.Here he is totally charming, warm and believable and his performance is natural and not forced. He probably will be over looked at award season so I will nominate him for a Snavely award right now. Mia Wasikowska with this performance and her performance in "Alice in Wonderland" will be an actress to keep an eye on. All these actors make you feel that they have inhabited their characters and never come off like they are acting. This movie feels real and doesn't have phony dialogue. This feels like a real family built over many years. The ending feels just right and the movie never feels overly long or incomplete. I enjoyed spending time with these characters and eavesdropping in on their lives. The writing is fresh and adult and Lisa Chlodenko lets the movie unfold naturally and doesn't force her hand. This is a definite crowd pleaser and it is very funny, touching, sad and finally uplifting. Lisa Cholodenko is building an impressive resume with movies set in L.A. and capturing the lifestyle there perfectly. Her "Laurel Canyon" is another great study of life in L.A. This is one of the best and most enjoyable movies I have seen recently. I strongly urge everyone to go see this with someone right away, you will feel very good coming out of this one.

P.S. A good companion piece to this movie is "You Can Count On Me" with Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo who should have received an Oscar nomination for his performance. Also as I have mentioned Lisa Chlodenko's "Laurel Canyon", with Frances McDormand, is also a great character study focused in L.A.