By Lance Avery Morgan

The Cast of The Kids Are Alright

It might just become one of your favorite films of the year. Surely the Motion Picture Academy will think that when they hand out Oscar nominations this next time around. It’s the most talked-about movie around the brainy set, those who aren’t doing the summer blockbusters, as it was the talk of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, and it also won the Teddy Award for Best Feature Film at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival. It’s Focus Features’ The Kids Are Alright, deftly directed by Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, Laurel Canyon) from an original screenplay that she wrote with her pal Stuart Blumberg (Keeping the Faith). The film has as many twists and turns as a movie can possibly have without seeming gimmicky… and all the while focused on a family for the 2010’s. combines comedic surprise with poignant emotional truth in a funny, vibrant, and richly drawn portrait of a modern family.

In this modern fable, Nic and Jules (three-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening and four-time Academy Award nominee Julianne Moore) are married and share a cozy suburban Southern California home with their teenage children, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson). Nic and Jules – the “Moms” – gave birth to and raised their children, and built a relatively normal family life for the four of them. As Joni prepares to leave for college, 15-year-old Laser presses her for a big favor; he wants Joni, now 18, to help him find their biological father because the two teenagers were conceived by artificial insemination.

Annette Bening and Julianne Moore

That’s when the action really kicks in. Against her better judgment, Joni honors her brother’s request and manages to make contact with “bio-dad” Paul (Mark Ruffalo), an easygoing restaurateur and organic garden owner. The kids find themselves drawn to their carefree bachelor dad’s footloose style – especially in contrast to Benning’s Nic, a doctor who has long established their house rules. Moore’s Jules, who has been looking to start a new career in landscaping, also strikes up a rapport with Paul that takes them down a new path as Paul comes into the lives of the family of four, an unexpected new chapter begins for them as family ties are defined, re-defined, and then re-re-defined again. It’s released soon to select markets, so run, don’t walk to see one of the best films of the year.

Photos Courtesy of Focus Features and Suzanne Tenner

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