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Although presenting an unconventional family dynamic - that of a lesbian couple with two
teenage children, this movie is ultimately about the very conventional problems all people
in their relationships. The interesting plot introduces us to the Allgood family - who
despite having a seemingly happy life together, all secretly have their issues. The two children,
now old enough to legally discover the truth on their own, contact the *** bank from
where their lesbian parents got them from nearly two decades earlier. Their ***-donor
father, Paul, played by Mark Ruffalo, then slowly becomes a part of their lives - hanging
out with the children, and starting an unlikely romantic relationship with one of the parents.
Annette Benning and Julianne Moore both do fantastic jobs as the strong-minded, and well
developed parents here. And while Benning received the nomination for "Best Actress"
here, it fortunately doesn't appear to be merely because she's a straight women playing
a gay character, but rather for the explosive range of emotion she exhibits throughout the
film. The same can not be said for Ruffalo however, who despite his supporting-actor
nomination, seems to loaf around awkwardly on-screen. While the characters and story
are incredibly intriguing here, it's individual lines of dialog that really hurt this film
- some of which just feel forced, and unrealistic. Perhaps it's because I personally don't have
any experience with test-tube babies' relationships with their surrogate father... but there were
several key sequences in this film that just didn't feel real to me. However, it is an
engrossing and captivating story of family, friendship, and heartbreak - that is certainly
worth exploring. "The Kids Are All Right", "Occasionally inconsistent, but heartwarmingly
intriguing." Here's some of your reviews from the YouTube comments.
The rate-o-matic is back, and here's what we thought of "The Kids Are All Right"...
a double COOL. This is a very interesting film, with very strong performances, but it
was almost too awkward at times for me to completely love it, I rated it a SEVEN. Unsure
what to think about this film, some really enjoyed the unique situations, and others
didn't... your score averaged to a SEVEN.