The Kids Are All Right – An Alliance Films Release

http://www.filminfocus.com/the_kids_are_all_right

DVD Release Date: November 16th, 2010

Rated 18A for sexual content, and coarse language.

Running time: 107 minutes

Lisa Cholodenko (dir.)

Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg (writer)

Carter Burwell (music)

Annette Bening as Nic

Julianne Moore as Jules

Mark Ruffalo as Paul

Mia Wasikowska as Joni

Josh Hutcherson as Laser

Bonus Features Include:

(En anglais seulement)

• The Journey to Forming a Family

• The Making of the Kids Are All Right

• The Writer’s Process

• Feature Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Lisa Cholodenko

Our reviews below:

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The Kids Are All Right DVD Review By John C.

*** (out of 4)

Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Benning) are the ‘momses’ of teenaged children Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson).  When the kids track down their biological father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), they discover a previously unknown part of their lives.  Paul shakes things up in a big way, giving them a father they never knew and threatening to tear apart their family.

Although on it’s way to a probable Best Picture nomination, for me it isn’t one of the year’s ‘top ten.’  But an interesting storyline, good script and excellent performances, particularly from Mark Ruffalo at it’s heart, make The Kids Are All Right a strong entry into the genre of thought-provoking and entertaining indie efforts.

The Blu-ray includes several featurettes and audio commentary with director/co-writer Lisa Cholodenko.

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The Kids Are All Right DVD Review By Erin V.

**1/2 (out of 4)

The Kids Are All Right is about Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) – a couple raising two now teenage children, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson).  The kids decide to track down the sperm donor Paul (Mark Ruffalo), who is their father, and meet him.  Their mom’s don’t quite approve of this at first and the meeting opens up new experiences for the whole family.

To me, The Kids Are Alright was just that – alright.  Despite good performances all around, personally, I found it went kind of overboard with the Jules/Paul interactions, lessening the film for me.  Check it out if you’re curious, or if it does get awards attention like some have alluded to, but I don’t think it falls beyond a rental.

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The Kids Are All Right DVD Review By Nicole

*** (out of 4)

The Kids Are All Right is a believable drama abut a unique family.  Joni (Mia Wasikowska), and Laser (Josh Hutcherson) are two ordinary teenagers who live with their two moms, Nic (Annette Bening), and Jules (Julianne Moore).  But they have always wondered who their dad is.  So, without either mom’s knowledge, Joni decides to contact the sperm donor clinic that Dad went to.  Dad, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), turns out to be a pretty cool guy, he runs an organic vegetable garden that he shares with the whole neighbourhood.  But what the kids didn’t count on,  is the love affair between Paul and Jules.  What will this unexpected turn of events do to the family?

The Kids Are All Right poses some very interesting ethical questions about sperm donation, same-sex parenting, and what defines a family.  No matter how far science can go, it still can’t trump the biological aspect of where children come from.

The one downfall of the film is that there is more sexual content than necessary, which only distracts from the emotional impact of the film.  However, The acting is excellent, and the dialogue is heartfelt and genuine.  The Kids Are All Right is a well made, thought provoking movie that is worth seeing.

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The Kids Are All Right DVD Review By Maureen

*** (out of 4)

What makes a family a family?  Is it biology, love, both?  The Kids Are All Right is a heartfelt story about two moms, Nic (Annette Benning) and Jules (Julianne Moore) working hard at raising their two teenagers, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson).  They love and fight like any other family, facing the same struggles and challenges many ordinary families do.  Things change when daughter Joni decides to seek out and finds her sperm donor father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo).  Can Paul ever really become apart of their family?  Paul’s presence changes all of their lives.

This movie covers a lot of hot topic issues, gay families, anonymous sperm donation, sexuality.  The Kids Are All Right doesn’t pretend to have all the answers.  Rather, it shows how this one family deals with it all.  What makes this movie so appealing is the strong acting from all of the leads.  Mark Ruffalo gives an especially strong performance as Paul, the odd man out.  My only complaint would be that the story could have been told just as well without the degree of nudity in this movie.  Sometimes too much skin is simply a distraction from a good story.

If the storyline or actors interest you, then this is worth at least a rental.

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The Kids Are All Right DVD Review By Tony

*** (out of 4)

The Kids are All Right is a story about a family with some interesting twists. Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are a couple who have each had a child from the same anonymous sperm donor Paul (Mark Ruffalo). When the daughter Joni (Mia Wasikowska) turns 18 she looks up Paul with her younger brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson). Paul is very charming with a successful business but has never settled down with anyone. Laser is wary at first but Joni likes him right away. When Paul is invited to dinner the attitudes of the mothers reflect their respective kids. Laser’s mother Nic is a physician who has always had to keep control of her life and those around her. Jules is more of a free spirit, just starting a new landscaping business. The introduction of Paul into their lives turns out to pose an unexpected threat to the family.

Though perhaps not the among the year’s best films as some critics have declared, The Kids are All Right has an excellent leading and supporting cast and a mostly fine script remarkable for the normality it affords to its unconventional makeup.

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Consensus: With excellent performances and an interesting storyline, The Kids Are All Right is a strong independent film.  Although not one of the year’s best, this is still one worth checking out. *** (Out of 4)