The Kids Are All Right

The star-studded indie comedy The Kids Are All Right delves into the normalcy of unconventional family life. The film explores the dynamics of a lesbian couple raising two teenage children, who are secretly seeking out their sperm-donor father. Through caustic wit, it juggles the trials of married life, children vying for independence and the notion of a “traditional” family.

The characters, rather than the plot, make the film worthwhile. Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson) aren’t the only ones who fall victim to their biological father Paul’s (Mark Ruffalo) bad-boy charm. It comes as no surprise that Jules (Julianne Moore) doesn’t resist him, or his motorcycle for that matter. No matter how consuming at first, the Paul-Jules saga climaxes in a family dinner that only leaves the audience uncomfortable.

Annette Bening, who plays Jules’ partner Nic, and Julianne Moore take seamlessly to their complex roles as matriarchs, although Joni and Laser both manage to hold their own. Breakthrough actor Wasikowska, who recently starred in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, shines more through her physical expressiveness than in her actual line delivery, especially in the final scenes as she leaves home for college. In his character’s own quest to manhood, Hutcherson equally makes his mark with a strong performance opposite Mark Ruffalo.

The only actor to disappoint is America’s Next Top Model Cycle 3 contender Yaya DaCosta, who appears briefly in a poor performance as Tanya. Leave the acting to the actors and the rest will be all right.