Eighteen-year old Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and her younger brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson) live in Los Angeles with their lesbian parents Nic (Annette Bening), a doctor, and Jules (Julianne Moore), who after raising the kids just decided to start a landscape design business. The two women make quite a pair: Nic is a controlling, smart, and critical person whereas Jules is much more laid back, reactive, and accepting of people. They have done a good job raising their children. Now Joni is almost ready to leave home for college.
Prodded by her brother, Joni decides to make contact with their biological father — to be exact, the sperm donor — Paul (Mark Ruffalo). He runs an organic mini-farm and restaurant. At first, he is taken aback by the call but agrees to meet with the two teenagers. They hit it off, and Paul is delighted with the connection he feels with Joni, the more outgoing of the two. When Nic and Jules find out what has happened, they are shocked. But it doesn't take long before Paul is eating dinner at their home and sharing the story of how he dropped out of college to find himself. Nic has expressly forbidden Joni and Laser to ride a motorcycle. Guess who loves riding this vehicle?
When Paul discovers that Jules does landscape design, he hires her to do some work on his back yard. She is thrilled with the prospect. Back at home, her sexual relationship with Nic has lost its heat and glow. Jules finds herself attracted to Paul and he feels the same way about her, so much so that he breaks off his relationship with his African-American business partner and lover. When Nic discovers that Jules and Paul are having an affair, this extended family of five are caught up in a collision of mixed feelings about commitment, loyalty, trust, betrayal, and guilt.
Lisa Cholodenko is the co-writer and director of The Kids Are All Right and she has fashioned a remarkable familial drama about real people whose flaws and foibles enable us to identify with their choices and struggles. Her last film, Laurel Canyon also contained endearing characters and unforced humor. In one of the most compelling scenes in this film, Nic decides to give up her negativity and try very hard to view Paul as something more than an intruder who is spoiling their quality time with Joni before she leaves for college. She effuses about her love for Joni Mitchell's music and Paul chimes in that he feels the same way. They sing an improvised duet of "All I Want" just before Nic makes her discovery of Jules's infidelity.
The performances are warm and winning in every way: Mark Ruffalo beautifully catches the Peter Pan quality to Paul along with his inner yearning for a family of his own. Annette Bening is perfect as the domineering Nic who doesn't see the chilling effect of her critical nature upon others. Julianne Moore shines as the conflicted Jules who goes to some desperate lengths to find out what she really wants in middle age. Mia Wasikowska is impressive as Joni, the daughter experiencing many new moments during the transition period before leaving home. And Josh Hutcherson is just right as the shy and cautious teenager who harbors ambivalent feelings toward the men in his life.
Although it doesn't set out to consciously make a case for gay marriage, The Kids Are All Right shows how one couple's troubles opens the door for a flood of light and fresh intimations of love for everyone in the family. This is one of the Best Films of 2010.
