The Kids Are All Right



A 2010 independent Dramedy film about a lesbian couple, Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore), and their teenage children, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson). The children decide that they want to meet their anonymous sperm donor, a guy named Paul (Mark Ruffalo), whose relationship with each of the four members of the family zigzags throughout the course of the film.

The film was a breakout hit at Sundance and ultimately nominated for Best Picture. No connection to the similarly-named documentary about The Who.

This film includes examples of:
""I don't want the father to be someone I have to see socially, or who will have any interest in raising the child himself.""
 * Actor Allusion: Inverted.

"Jules: You would think that. But in most of those movies, they've hired two straight women to pretend and the inauthenticity is just unbearable.
 * Adult Child: Paul, who grows during the film as he realises that he would really like to have kids and a proper family.
 * Affair Hair:
 * All Lesbians Want Kids
 * Awesome McCoolname: Laser Allgood.
 * But Not Too Gay: compare the way gay and straight sex is depicted
 * Chekhov's Skill: Early in the movie it is established that
 * Cringe Comedy: Not too badly, but there are a lot of awkward moments.
 * The Danza: Jules, sort of.
 * Exiled to The Couch: Jules, though she may have decided to do so herself.
 * Fake American: Australian Mia Wasikowska as Joni, though you can't really tell.
 * Gender Blender Name: Both Nic and Jules.
 * Glorified Sperm Donor: Deconstructed. Paul has never been a part of the kids' life until the events of the film, but to some (ambiguous) extent he sees himself, and they see him, as some sort of parental figure. Nic doesn't like this. Eventually, though, she accepts her children's desire to know their biological father.Until other things get in the way...
 * Guy On Guy Is Hot: Nic and Jules like to watch gay porn together. Laser finds out. They have a hard time explaining it.
 * I Need a Freaking Drink: Nic has a bit too much to drink when she has to deal with Paul's interactions with the kids.
 * Interrupted Intimacy: When
 * Jerkass: Nic, to a certain extent. Her uncomfortableness with Paul is understandable, but it doesn't really make her that much more of a likable character
 * Lampshade Hanging: A not-so-subtle wink to the audience when Jules and Nic explain to their son why they don't watch lesbian porn.

Nic: (cutting her off) Okay, that's enough!"


 * Mistaken for Gay: Laser, by Nic and Jules. They're quite surprised to find out what he's actually been up to.
 * No Bisexuals: Jules insists that she's a lesbian even after . This results in some Unfortunate Implications.
 * Nobody Over 50 Is Gay: Averted, or close to it.
 * What Happened to the Mouse?: Laser's friend Clay doesn't appear during the second half of the film, and the question of his being a bad influence is never resolved.
 * Laser figures this out for himself,
 * Joni has a whole romantic subplot that is never really resolved.
 * Smoking Hot Sex:
 * Who Names Their Kid "Dude"?: Laser.
 * Your Cheating Heart: . Ultimately becomes the film's main conflict.