The Kids Are All Right, I Guess

 

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I saw “The Kids Are All Right.” (skip this if you haven’t seen it or don’t want to know anything about it.)

I wish I had seen it before everyone proclaimed it to be the best movie in all of the land ever ever ever. I liked it and found it quite lovely but I much prefer seeing things without expectations.

Julianne Moore seemed a little awkward. I know her character IS awkward and insecure but at times I thought she was going to slip into her character from 30 Rock.  Do you watch 30 Rock? She was on last season as Alec Baldwin’s girlfriend from high school with this “wicked pissah” Boston accent. She talks lower like she did in the movie, so I found it distracting.

Then I was totally distracted by Mark Ruffalo’s character’s hot girlfriend because I couldn’t figure out what she had been in before. Turns out its Yaya DaCosta from America’s Next Top Model 2004. (thank you imdb!)

I did enjoy Annette Bening. She was at her best. And there were moments that summed up parenthood and family life really beautifully.

My favorite favorite moment though, and my heart fills with warm gooeyness when I think about it, was when Nic and Jules (A. Bening and J. Moore) were lying in bed facing each other and Nic says “I love you, chicken” and Jules says “I love you too, pony.”

Sigh. There was such a beautiful intimacy to it. I think about it all the time. Not to mention I loved the use of such random terms of affection. Beautiful. 

I thought it was a little heavy handed how Mark Ruffalo was depicted as such a playboy. Ok, we get it. He’s attractive and gets a lot of ass. The hetero sex scenes seemed a bit extraneous and acrobatic while the lesbian couple was completely under the covers. (although that could be a nod to the fact that when you’re married, things are just not that exciting.)

I really wanted Joni to wash and brush her hair, although I found her adorable and sweet. Same with Laser. Such a sweet kid.  Except the part where he “discovers” his friend is a douche. I’m sorry, the friend SCREAMS douche long before he even suggests they pee on a stray dog.

Overall, I enjoyed it though…especially the Heath bar that I ate greedily like a kid who snuck out of fat camp.

Did you see it? Did you like it?

2 comments:

Meg | August 11, 2010 at 12:42 PM

Holla Sissie,
I did see it (as you know)and agree with your review. It was a quiet film...kind of like a marriage, like a life. I guess my favorite part of the movie was when V slipped his hand over mine during that last scene, when Joni was waving goodbye to her moms before they drove away - leaving her to discover the big bad world on her own at college. Or I liked the part of the movie when I could practice my righteous lip syncing to Joni Mitchell (whom I worship not so secretly) during the scene where Nic discovers Jules is cheating on her. And I liked the scene where Joni gets drunk at a party and kisses the boy she's liked for so long. The movie felt trite at times. Maybe too easy. But hidden in there were gems that made me feel like I was watching snippets from my own consciousness. Small things made me FEEL - whether uncomfortable, a bit bored, content, and super happy. I just liked that breezy message....that, indeed, we're all going to be all right. And I guess our kids will too.

Emily | August 11, 2010 at 9:50 PM

I thought of you during that scene with the Joni Mitchell song! I liked how that scene was done.
And yes, I agree that the overall message was breezy. well said.