"The Kids Are All Right" Review

Movie relationships rarely feel real. Some films try to mirror reality, but quickly fail due to their own superficiality. These films often lack the courage to address the messy emotional complications of human relationships. It’s understandable why major studios refuse to finance films that actually address our human fragility. Audiences want an escape when they go to the theater, not a meaningful representation of real life. But by sanitizing human relationships and failing to address our emotional complexity, aren’t we robbing art of its primary purpose? Sure, movies are meant as entertainment, but it’s sad when people refuse to see them as something more.

Thankfully, some films still dare to be more than just entertainment. “The Kids Are All Right,” directed by Lisa Cholodenko, does just that. While the film has its flaws and is not quite as good as this year’s other relationship dramedy “Please Give,” it still presents emotionally complicated characters in an artful way.

In “The Kids Are All Right,” Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore), a lesbian couple, are enjoying their summer with their two kids, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson). Joni, now eighteen, is begged by Laser to set a meeting with their biological father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo). While kids try to keep this secret from the Moms, Nic and Jules eventually meet their former sperm donor and much complication ensues.

But a simple plot summary can’t quite convey the emotional complexity of “The Kids Are All Right.” This film is wonderfully written. Filled with quick-witted humor and truthful, sometimes painful, observations, it’s easily one of the best scripts of the year. But it’s the film’s excellent ensemble that truly sells the material. The film’s three adult actors (Bening, Moore, and Ruffalo) all bring their A-game, and the two kids (Wasikowska and Hutcherson) more than hold their own.

But, for my money, the film’s stand-out performances belong to Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore. Ruffalo, who rarely gets meaty roles, always shines in small supporting characters. In “The Kids Are All Right,” he is finally given a chance to show off his acting chops in a more substantial role. Ruffalo’s style is so natural that you forget you’re watching a fictional character. Emphasizing Paul’s laidback personality, as well as his secret yearning to be a father, Ruffalo elicits both laughs and sympathy from the audience. Julianne Moore (“Far From Heaven,” “The Big Lebowski”) also delivers a superb performance as the artsy, conflicted Jules. While Jules does not have the forceful personality of Nic (clearly the family’s bread winner), she is easily the gentler of the two Moms, but also the least grounded in reality. Moore conveys this artsy airiness with much humor and subtlety, while also clueing the audience to Jules’ low self-esteem, especially when compared to her significant other.

To single out Moore and Ruffalo is not to slight the film’s other performances, which are also fantastic. Part of what makes Lisa Cholodenko’s direction so sublime is her attention to the film’s acting. While credit must be given to the film’s actors for nailing such complex roles, Cholodenko must have played an instrumental role in making sure the film’s relationships felt authentic.

While Cholodenko gave special attention to the acting, the film’s pacing ultimately suffers. Once the film enters its second act, many scenes felt redundant and, in turn, the film begins to drag. Thankfully, Cholodenko makes up for this pacing lag with an emotionally charged final act.

Also, while the film is laced with wonderful humor throughout, unfortunately not all of it works. A few segments tip too far into “sitcom” territory for my liking, and one segment involving a Hispanic landscaper is almost offensive. Fortunately, Cholodenko and fellow screenwriter Stuart Blumberg keep most of the film’s laughs rooted in character interactions.

Aside from a few minor misgivings, “The Kids Are All Right” succeeds at being a heartfelt comedy without resorting to stock characters or cliché plot lines. It’s a film that refuses to sanitize, commercialize, or politicize (the film never brings up the contentious gay marriage debate) any of its characters. And, perhaps more importantly, it has the ability to make its audience laugh and cry – sometimes simultaneously. Unlike most films churned out by the Hollywood machine, “The Kids Are All Right” wants to do more than just entertain.

B+

How would you rank Christopher Nolan's films?

Leave your list in the comments! I'm still not entirely sure.

"Inception" Review

A blockbuster with guts, “Inception” dares to be different. Instead of crafting a simple narrative, it boasts a unique structure. Instead of allowing its main character to play second fiddle to computer effects, it sufficiently explores the psyche of its leading man. Instead of creating a story bereft of any intelligence, it asks questions of its audience. And while it may not be perfect, it is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious films of the year.

In “Inception,” director-writer Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight,” “The Prestige”) creates a world in which people can share dreams. The film follows Dom Cobb, an extractor who specializes in stealing ideas from people’s dreams. Dom (Leonardo DiCaprio) wants to quit his profession and return to his two children. When corporate boss Saito (Ken Watanabe) offers Dom the chance to return to his normal life in exchange for one last job, Dom assembles a team to perform “inception,” the act of planting an idea inside someone’s mind, instead of stealing one. While most of Dom’s team believe inception cannot be performed, Dom is set on carrying out the complex mission so he can finally return home.

It seems that with “Inception,” Christopher Nolan finally has a handle on how to frame an action sequence. While his “Batman” films were often muddled with incoherent action and poor editing, “Inception” finally proves that Nolan has the chops to handle complicated action set pieces. While some sequences still feel confusing and convoluted, others display impeccable pacing and endless creativity.

Nolan also applies his creativity to the film’s eye-popping visuals. From collapsing cities to revolving hallways, Nolan creates a world that is all his own. His bold vision begs the question, how long has it been since a filmmaker truly created a new world for audiences to discover? While you could make a strong case for James Cameron’s “Avatar,” it does not hold a candle to Nolan’s twisted dream world.

While Nolan certainly displays great visual flair in “Inception,” the film’s script is not as strong as some of his previous films. For a good fifteen minutes, the movie devolves into what this reviewer is calling “dream-speak.” In these conversations, Dom and his team analyze how they are going to penetrate the subject’s mind, as they throw out words like “subconscious,” “catharsis,” and “loops.” While some of this dream lingo is essential to the film’s plot, most of it is dull and repetitive. Thankfully, these scenes are relatively short and do not damage the film’s stellar pacing.

Backing up Nolan’s jigsaw plot is an impressive ensemble of accomplished actors. Leonardo DiCaprio, finally free from his recent string of accents and exaggerated mannerisms, delivers one of his best performances. Beautifully capturing Cobb’s emotional fragility, DiCaprio wonderfully taps into Dom’s psychology.

The film’s other performances are uniformly excellent. While Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are not given much to do, they shine in small moments, even as they are saddled with much of the film’s poor dialogue. Cillian Murphy also shines in a pivotal role, adding emotion to the film’s labyrinth plot. The film’s best performance, however, belongs to Marion Cotillard, who plays a mysterious woman from Dom’s past. Cotillard brings a fiery intensity to her role that makes the character unpredictable and flat-out scary. An overwhelming feeling of eeriness, accentuated wonderfully by Hans Zimmer’s score, accompanies all of her scenes. While Nolan has a firm control over the majority of the film, Cotillard’s scenes feel loose and unpredictable, which is a testament to both the actress and the director.

While the film’s plot is complex, its main themes are simple and profound. “Inception” views the mind as a complicated maze often twisted and distorted by human emotion. Feelings of guilt, love, and inadequacy run through our mind and eat away at our thoughts and memories. When one fails to come to terms with these feelings, or runs away from their life’s complications, they addle the mind into a further state of confusion. “Inception,” although rooted in a world of dreams, insists that we accept the reality of our situations. Only then can we “let go” of certain memories and move on with our lives.

To conclude, “Inception” tackles the entanglements of emotion better than any of Nolan’s other films. While the film is not as thematically complex as some of Nolan’s previous efforts, it is more ambitious in both narrative and structure. And if “Inception” perhaps does not rank as the best of Nolan’s filmography, it definitely makes for a bold, unique vision in an otherwise dull summer.

A-

A Nightmarish Rant

A lot has been said about Christopher Nolan’s “Inception.” Unfortunately, very little of it has been meaningful. When the film screened for the first wave of critics a few weeks ago, the reaction was one of instant adoration, with many critics proclaiming it a “masterpiece” upon one viewing. Many of these reviews were laced with eye-rolling hyperbole and failed to say anything meaningful about the film. After this first wave of reviews, came the second. And, instead of actually reacting to the movie, these critics instead reacted to the first wave of reviews, while not offering much valid criticism. And then the “backlash to the backlash” kicked in. By the end of this critical roller coaster, one realizes that no one has really said much about the film itself.


“Inception” was always going to be a divisive film. It hosts a complex narrative, several extended dream sequences, and various other oddities. It simply pushes too many buttons for everyone to fall over in praise. This is a good thing. How boring would a discussion be if everyone agreed? The best films often stir up arguments. The problem comes when people become so convinced of their opinion’s validity that they refuse to listen to the other side.

“How can you dislike Inception!? It’s an absolute masterpiece!”

“How dare you even compare Christopher Nolan Nolan to the great Stanley Kurbrick!”

This rhetoric gets us nowhere. While these arguments are filled with passion, very little of it is actually substantial. Please, tell me why “Inception” is an absolute masterpiece. Tell me why Chris Nolan’s vision does not match up to that of Stanley Kubrick’s.

But, of course, these are not easy questions to answer. It will take multiple viewings to completely dissect “Inception” and declare it a “masterpiece!” In fact, calling anything a “masterpiece” upon one viewing is preposterous, as most people realize that films gain “masterpiece” status over time, not on their opening weekend. But if you’re going to have the gall to call something a “masterpiece” upon first viewing (I’m guilty of this as well), try to back it up with something other than empty hyperbole. Similarly, if you’re going to slam the film, provide evidence, instead of slandering other critics.

On a final note, this rant obviously isn’t directed at every “Inception” review. I'm merely trying to make the argument for a more civil, substantive discussion amongst film fans. Unfortunately, many of the strong, substantive reviews of "Inception" have been overshadowed by the petty, thoughtless catfights of a few ego maniacs.

PS. My review of the film will be up soon.

Short version: I liked it.

"Cyrus" Review

When I first saw the trailer for "Cyrus," it looked like an odd, original comedy, but with a cynical, smug tone. After seeing the film, I can safely say that the film is definitely odd, original, and funny, but thankfully its tone is warm and sweet - without an ounce of cynical sarcasm or irony.

The film follows John (John C. Reilly), a depressed bachelor still getting over his divorce from seven years prior. While attending a party with his ex-wife (Catherine Keener) and her new fiance, he meets Molly (Marisa Tomei), a kind woman whose gentility and comforting personality attract John. Once John and Molly enter into a relationship, he meets Cyrus (Jonah Hill), Molly's twenty-something son. Cyrus, a budding musician, still lives at home and has a very close bond with his mother. While Cyrus initially seems okay with Molly and John's relationship, it soon becomes apparent that Cyrus is not so keen on sharing Molly with her new lover.

"Cyrus" mainly works as a study of the complex relationship between the three main characters. Marisa Tomei beautifully highlights Molly's maternal sensibilities, comforting both Cyrus and John with her genuine warmth and sympathy. Reilly wonderfully displays John's earnest nature, as well as his inept, awkward way of dealing with complicated situations. And, finally, Jonah Hill taps into Cyrus's strange, needy, manipulative behavior. While Hill sometimes slips into broad comedy, he mostly strikes the right tone for his character.

While "Cyrus"beautifully illustrates the complicated nature of its characters' relationships, many scenes feel redundant and unnecessary. By the film's second act, the audience is fully aware that Cyrus believes John is infringing on his territory, yet the movie insists on reiterating that fact several times. The film's dialogue also comes off as blunt in parts. While direct, honest discussion about feelings and emotion works for the film's character, the dialogue becomes too heavy-handed by the time the film reaches its final scenes. It's almost as if directors Jay and Mark Duplass are too afraid to let the audience interpret the character's feelings for themselves. Instead, they let the film's final act turn into a huge group therapy session. But not all of it is bad. The actors involved manage to imbue the final scenes with enough subtlety to make up for the script's heavy- handed dialogue.

But, perhaps most importantly, the film retains a light, earnest tone throughout. If the film had opted for smug cynicism or glossy superficiality, it would not have had the same effect. Thus, despite its flaws, "Cyrus" makes for a fascinating study of an unusual relationship.

B