Taglines: Nic and Jules had the perfect family, until they met the man who made it all possible.
Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are a married lesbian couple living in the Los Angeles area. Nic is an obstetrician, and Jules is a housewife who is starting up a landscape design business. Each has given birth to a child using the same sperm donor.
The younger child Laser (Josh Hutcherson) wants to find his sperm donor father but has to be 18 to do so. He begs his 18-year-old sister Joni (Mia Wasikowska) to contact the sperm bank which determines that Paul (Mark Ruffalo) is the donor. The three meet. Joni is impressed by his bohemian lifestyle, and Paul becomes enthusiastic about being in their lives. Joni swears her brother to secrecy as she does not want to upset their mothers. However, Jules and Nic find out and invite Paul over to dinner. When Jules reveals she has a landscape business, Paul asks her to transform his back garden. Jules agrees, although Nic does not like the idea.
While working for Paul, Jules likes that he appreciates her work in contrast to Nic who, Jules feels, never supported her career. Jules impulsively kisses Paul one afternoon, and they end up in bed together, beginning an affair.
Jules and the kids start spending more time with Paul. Nic believes Paul undermines her authority over the children by, for example, giving Joni a ride on his motorcycle—which Nic has forbidden—and by suggesting she give Joni more freedom. After a heated argument with Jules, Nic suggests they all have dinner at Paul’s house to ease the tension. Nic relaxes and for the first time connects with Paul. However, Nic discovers traces of Jules’s hair in Paul’s bathroom and bedroom. When they return home, Nic confronts Jules.
At first, Jules denies it but then admits to the affair. Nic is devastated, but Jules insists she is not in love with Paul and has not turned straight; she just wanted to be appreciated. Joni and Laser have overheard the arguments and are also upset with Jules. The household becomes tense and Jules is forced to sleep on the couch. Paul thinks he has fallen for Jules and suggests she leave Nic, bring the kids, and come live with him. Jules declines, disgusted with Paul’s lack of understanding about their relationship. The children are angry at the both of them.
The Kids Are All Right is an American comedy-drama film directed by Lisa Cholodenko and written by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg. A hit at 2010 Sundance, it opened in limited release on July 9, 2010, expanding to more theaters on July 30, 2010. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 16, 2010. The film was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, and Annette Bening was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The film also received four Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture, at the 83rd Academy Awards.
Opening in limited release at seven theaters, The Kids Are All Right grossed $491,971 in its first weekend. At $70,282 per theater, the film scored the highest average gross in 2010 as of mid-July 2010. It expanded to 38 theaters on July 16, then 201 on July 23, and finally 847 on July 30. As of December 20, 2010, the film grossed a total of $34,705,850 worldwide.
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The Kids Are All Right (2010)
Directed by: Lisa Cholodenko
Starring by: Mia Wasikowska, Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Josh Hutcherson, Annette Bening, Zosia Mamet, Rebecca Lawrence Levy, Sasha Spielberg, Lisa Eisner, James MacDonald, Yaya DaCosta
Screenplay by: Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko
Production Design by: Julie Berghoff
Cinematography by: Igor Jadue-Lillo
Film Editing by: Jeffrey M. Werner
Costume Design by: Mary Claire Hannan
Set Decoration by: David A. Cook
Art Direction by: James Connelly
Music by: Carter Burwell
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some teen drug and alcohol use.
Studio: Focus Features
Release Date: July 7, 2010