BLAIR WOYNARSKI 
Arts Writer

There are many types of movies out there — epics and mysteries, actions and comedies. I’ve always appreciated those films that don’t try to be anything; they take a piece of life without trying to dress it up or justify it. The Kids Are All Right is one of such films which doesn’t rely on tidy resolutions or two-dimensional moralizing. It’s just about people.

    The story centres on two teenagers, Joni (Mia Wasikowska of Alice in Wonderland) and her younger brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson). They have been raised by a lesbian couple, Nic (Annette Bening), a strict doctor, and Jules (Julianne Moore), a free spirit starting up a landscaping business. Each kid was conceived in vitro by a sperm donor and now they have decided to track down their biological father.

They meet Paul (Mark Ruffalo), a laid-back restaurateur who had no idea that he had children walking around. As Paul begins to spend more time with the kids, his presence disrupts the family order. Jules agrees to give him a chance and offers to landscape his yard for him, while Nic is anxious to get him out of their lives.

    Despite what you might think by joining the premise with the title, there isn’t a politically motivated frame in this movie. It isn’t a soapbox promoting homosexual parenting. Rather, it takes the situation as it is: completely natural for the children who have grown up that way. Their familial relationship is plagued with spousal conflict, parental control issues and everything else that a family has to deal with.

    It is filled with biting humour that most often stems from profoundly awkward situations. It doesn’t go over the top but crafts laughter out of those uncomfortable moments that we all encounter in our daily lives, like when Laser asks his mothers why they watch gay man porn (OK, maybe we can’t all relate to that situation, but you get the idea). It flows smoothly, with some of the most natural dialogue I have seen in a movie and it never gets bogged down with drama. During the most emotional moments it remains bouncy and quick-witted.

    Most importantly, the characters feel like actual people. Moore and Bening are a perfect squabbling married couple and Ruffalo strikes a perfect balance between being lovable and sympathetic and being shady and self-serving.

But I warn you not to expect a neat conclusion. There isn’t one. People’s lives and conflicts continue long after the credits role. And that is the magic of this film. It doesn’t attempt to define human interaction but rather presents it for what it is.

    I can’t recommend this movie to everybody but I will recommend it to almost everybody. It’s wonderfully funny and still packs a serious dramatic punch. You’ll have a charming getaway for a couple hours and you might even learn something along the way.