"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+

"Shutter Island" Review

“Shutter Island,” a psychological thriller from director Martin Scorsese (“Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas”) is a suspenseful, surprisingly layered, entry in the acclaimed director’s dense filmography. Through a masterful mix of sight and sound, Scorsese creates a film that works both as an entertaining mystery and a complex examination of a troubled character.

The film, based on a novel by Dennis LeHane, follows US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he investigates the disappearance of a female patient from an insane asylum found on a mysterious island. With help from his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), Teddy questions the asylum’s employees, patients, and doctors. After conducting interviews, Teddy finds that no one is revealing any significant information. Even the asylum’s head psychiatrists (Ben Kinglsey and Max von Sydow) remain allusive. This suspicious behavior causes Teddy to believe they are hiding something

The biggest mystery, however, lies within Teddy himself. Teddy is a complex and interesting character. While he disguises himself as a confident, aggressive figure, he bears many emotional scars. Through Teddy, Scorsese explores the connection between masculine aggression and vulnerability. Unfortunately, the film’s twisty plot prevents the audience from truly investing in the character until the last twenty minutes.

Thankfully, when Teddy’s full story is finally revealed, it makes up for many of the film’s early failings. Unlike most plot twists, the one in “Shutter Island” makes the film less convoluted and more character-based. So, when the film’s twist finally reveals itself, it deepens the story, instead of muddling it with inane details.

Thus, “Shutter Island” achieves a level of gravitas while still functioning as a fast-paced thriller. Scorsese delightfully plays up the film’s thrilling sequences without compromising the film’s integrity as a work of art. Many of the film’s best scenes reveal character detail while still keeping the audience on edge.

Scorsese also shows his directorial finesse through his ability to establish and sustain an atmosphere of constant fear and anxiety. For example, the film opens with Teddy and Chuck sailing towards the asylum. The camera turns to reveal the island, shrouded in an immense fog. As the two partners sail closer, the film’s musical score intensifies. Purposefully loud and ominous, it creates an eerie, unsettling atmosphere for the rest of the film.

Adding to the character depth is the ensemble of performances from a host of renowned character actors. From Ben Kinsley as the asylum’s head psychiatrist to Patricia Clarkson as a crazed patient, each supporting cast member is given an opportunity to develop an interesting side character.

Scorsese, however, is the film’s true star. He deftly commands the screen with great skill and precision. While “Shutter Island” may not rank as one of his best works, it still remains a masterful achievement.

B

"Brothers Bloom" Review

3 out of 5 stars/C+

“The Brothers Bloom” could have been a good film. The script is nearly impeccable and the performances are both fun and inventive, but director/writer Rian Johnson fails in translating his script to the screen.

The film follows two con men, Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and his reluctant brother Bloom (Adrian Brody). Bloom is sick of always being a character in Stephen’s complex cons and yearns to live a normal life, but Stephen is able to convince him to help with one more con, then he will allow Bloom to go on and live a normal life. The victim of their con is Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), an eccentric lonely heiress who eventually begins to have romantic feelings for Bloom – a feeling that is mutual. Bloom isn’t just wooing her as part of the con. So, like most complex con films, twists and turns ensue. Oh, and explosions too. Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), a Japanese explosives expert, aids the Brothers with her rather "unique talents."

The script for “The Brothers Bloom” is beautifully rendered. Despite a few abrupt shifts in tone, the film is masterfully structured with full-fledged character arcs that are set up from the film’s opening and carry through to the film’s closing shots. The characters are wonderfully original, especially Penelope and Bang Bang. Too often, female roles in films are reduced to lazy stereotypes, but Johnson keeps things fresh with these two characters. The casting is nearly flawless. All of the actors fall into their roles seamlessly, except, perhaps, Robbie Coltrane (“Harry Potter” films) whose performance as the Belgian, a crafty church curator, comes off a bit too forced and silly. Of course, Kikuchi’s role is also quite silly, but she strikes a better balance than Coltrane. The true star, though, is Rachel Weisz who is able to show her talents as both a comedic and dramatic actress.

The problem with “The Brothers Bloom” lies in its execution. In order for an audience to fully become invested in the characters, they need to be engaged. Johnson fails to engage his audience. The comedic rhythm of the film is off. This causes most of the well-written and genuinely funny jokes to fall flat. This problem worsens thanks to Johnson’s bizarre – yet refreshingly original – sense of humor. Since the comedic rhythm is off, the audience does not exactly warm to the film’s aforementioned humor. Another problem is the film’s pacing which is far too leisurely for a quick-witted con film. If Johnson might have established a quicker, more frantic, pace, maybe the film’s humor would have worked better. Instead, the film feels disengaging, and – at times – boring. The audience only half feels for the characters, so the film’s emotional pull at the end only half resonates. Therefore, one could say that “The Brothers Bloom” is a half-good movie.