An indie dramedy about a lesbian couple raising two teenage kids seems like an odd summer movie, but The Kids Are All Right has an all-star cast that offers something different.
Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) have been together for over twenty years and they have two children together, both through artificial insemination. Joni (Mia Wasikowska) is now 18 and going to college, and Laser (Josh Hutcherson) is her more laid-back, aimless younger brother: Nic is Joni's biological mother and Jules Laser's, and they used the same sperm donor. Laser is curious about their biological father, and since Joni is now of age, he asks his sister to inquire about the identity of the donor.
Their search leads them to Paul (Mark Ruffalo), a womanizing restauranteur who happens to live in the same town. Paul is surprised but pleased by the fact that he has sired two beautiful children, even though he never wanted a family of his own. He becomes more involved with the kids' lives, to Nic's objection. Jules, meanwhile, thinks it's not a bad idea even though she and Nic have agreed that they don't want Paul to upset the balance of their tight family.
Julianne Moore (A Single Man) has an eclectic resume, and is widely regarded as an actor's actor of our generation. She plays the more laid-back half of the couple, who in her mid-40s is still trying to find herself. Jules has been living in the shadow of her more successful, more controlling partner, and Moore does a great job conveying that frustration and conflict. In many ways, she plays a typical "mother" role if it were a "traditional" family.
If Moore's the omega, then Annette Bening (Running with Scissors) would be the alpha; the butch, the breadwinner, the "man" of the house. Bening successfully makes her character believable and still feminine without resorting to the stereotypes. Granted, she is playing the more dominant and controlling partner, but Bening is able to channel something deeply emotional under the colder, more calculated surface.
Mark Ruffalo (Shutter Island) is the go-to guy to play the "drifter," which he did very well in his breakout film, You Can Count On Me. He has that guy-next-door charm that makes you want to like him, even though instinctively you know something is not quite right with the guy. Mia Wasikowska (Amelia) is wonderfully withdrawn, smart and vulnerable as Joni, who is rather the moral center of the story (if there were a narrator, I'd imagine it being Joni). Josh Hutcherson (Journey to the Center of the Earth) is good as the quiet, introspective son who lives in everyone's shadow including his smart sister.
Lisa Cholodenko (Laurel Canyon) and Stuart Blumberg (The Girl Next Door) keep the story simple and focused. They choose to tell the story over one summer, before Joni goes off to college. The strength of the screenplay is the character study. These characters seem real and ordinary, as if they could be our neighbors or relatives. These three-dimensional characters (even the minor characters seem to have more dimensions than simply delivering lines) are well drawn and their relationships are complex. That and the realistic dialogue give the story a down-to-earth quality and highly relatable.
The problem, though, is that the story is predictable and clichéd. OK, I'm sure families like theirs exist in the real world, with similar issues and heartaches and complications. I'm sure stories like theirs are happening right now, somewhere in the world. However, that's exactly why the story and the plot feel old-fashioned and recycled, because we've seen that many times before. While the characters and situations are well-played, I can't help but feel that they've been drawn from the some checklist: domineering partner, check; confused and underappreciated lover, check; children suffocated by their overbearing parents, check; dashing interloper who upsets their seemingly perfect family, check; hidden relationship problems, check… The list goes on and on.
There are plot points that feel contrived and forced, simply to lead us to a predictable place. Such plot contrivance diminishes the impact of the emotions because it doesn't feel organic. At one point I just want to yell, "Talk to each other already!" The problem also is that many of the characters are passive, at least emotionally. The least developed character has to be Laser, the son -- we kind of don't know what he's about, except that he's yet another rebelling teenager. There's a missed opportunity when Jules and Nic suspect Laser could be gay: the situation is ripe with possibilities for hilarity and depth and further development of Laser's character (or Jules' conflicting feelings about being gay), but it misses the mark.
While Cholodenko's direction is workman-like and adequate, she also lacks the finesse that makes the film truly outstanding. The pace meanders at times; even as a character study, the plot feels a bit too circular. As I said, there are parts of the film that feel forced and contrived just to move the characters from A to B.
It's too bad. If not for the lackluster story, the movie could have been something more. Its strength relies on the performances and realistic dialogue. I suspect Bening and Moore could get their respective Oscar nominations for their nuanced portrayals and for making us believe in their relationship. The kids are all right, too.Stars: Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Writers: Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg
Distributor: Focus
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, nudity, language, teen drug and alcohol use
Running Time: 106 minutes
Ratings:
Script – 7
Performance – 9
Direction – 7
Cinematography – 7
Music/Sound– 8
Editing – 7
Production – 8
Total – 7.1 out of 10
After being detained by North Korea and later swapped, CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is resigned to hold a desk job at the agency as her identity has been exposed. She can't be any happier, however, to play house with her doting husband Mike (August Diehl), a world-renowned entomologist. On the day of their anniversary, the agency receives a Russian defector, Orlov, and Salt agrees to interrogate him. Orlov informs them of a secret Soviet program that implants spies as US citizens from a very young age. He also informs her that a particular agent's name is Evelyn Salt.
Salt is immediately under surveillance while agent Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) investigates. Orlov escapes. Even as her boss Ted Winter (Liev Shcreiber) pleads for her case, Peabody won't believe Salt as she's a "trained liar." Worried about her husband's safety, she escapes to find Mike, while trying to convince Peabody that she's innocent.
Angelina Jolie (Wanted) took a few years off and returns in her action-heroine mode -- her last such outing was in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (where she met Brad Pitt). As mentioned before, the role of Salt was originally written for a man, but writer Kurt Wimmer rewrote it for her. Jolie's physicality is tested in this film: running, jumping, kicking, fighting, and doing many of her own stunts. She must have taken cues from Matt Damon because her portrayal reminds me of a male version of Jason Bourne. However, while Damon has the boy-next-door charm that can easily blend in in any situation, Jolie's unique beauty stands out. It's hard to believe anyone wouldn't be able to spot her from a mile away. That aside, Jolie is a good enough actress to pull it off.
Live Schreiber (Repo Men) is back to playing a government stiff. His role is surprisingly small until the last act, which makes the last act feel somewhat lacking in that we never get to know much about the character. It's not Schreiber's best role and he seems to phone it in as well. Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012) is in danger of being typecast as the good-natured government man. At least he shows a bit of his nasty side in Salt.
The international supporting cast includes Polish actor Daniel Olbrychski (So Much for Justice) in a sinister role as Orlov. Germany actor August Diehl (Inglorious Basterds) looks like an entomologist but he and Jolie lack significant chemistry to be believable as a couple. Soap star Hunt Block (One Life to Live) is ridiculously unconvincing as the US President -- really, is he the best actor they can get for a major action flick starring Angelina Jolie? I suppose Dennis Quaid wasn't available.
Wimmer's (Law Abiding Citizen) screenplay is a standard espionage thriller. By and large he does everything right: lots of suspense, tension, and action-heavy. He also did his research and the set up feels authentic enough to be believable. As spy-swaps become well-publicized current events, the prologue seems particularly topical and relevant. The first half of the film is exceptionally taut and suspenseful, sending us to the edges of our seats wondering "what the heck is going on?"
Unfortunately, by the second act the suspense is lost once Salt's true identity is revealed. The flashbacks seem out of place and forced, not to mention a poor way of relaying backstories. The plot also takes an absurd and more unrealistic turn; it's as if Wimmer wanted to throw in as many twists as he can, 24-style. It doesn't quite work, and the twist at the end is predictable and, to put it mildly, sophomoric. Any fans of thrillers would have guessed it a mile away. Also, the Bourne- or Fugitive-type storyline is getting old unless there's something new for the genre. Unfortunately, Wimmer didn't give us any of that.
Still, it's good to see a woman in such a role typically made for a man. Jolie absolutely earns her movie star status with her physical performance, even though she doesn't have a lot of opportunities to "act." She looks and acts the part, and there's a down-to-earth quality to her action heroine -- once again, I think she's learned a lot from Jason Bourne.
Philip Noyce's (Catch a Fire) direction is tight and exciting. He, too, seems to have taken notes from the Bourne series -- it can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you feel about "originality." There are plenty of action, and Noyce stages them rather realistically. No Die Hard type of outrageous stunts here (except jumping from trucks to trucks seems rather unlikely, even for a super spy like Salt). Lots of close-ups and fast cuts. Like I said, the first half of the film is greatly entertaining, suspenseful, and taut. The tension, however, unravels midway through. Noyce tries his best stitching the whole thing together, and the stunt-work is exceptional. Washington DC, in particular, and New York City look incredible: there's a decidedly European feel to the movie even though it's set in the States. Once again, what does that remind me of? You got it: The Bourne series.
As an action/suspense, Salt does its job to entertain and engage, especially the first half. It's exciting, with plenty of gritty action and realistic situations to keep the plot moving and the audiences enthralled. It's only a shame that it brings nothing new to the table and the second half loses steam with a predictable ending. Fans of political and espionage thrillers may still find this a nice addition to the genre, however. Those who find the genre getting stale may see it as more salt on the wound.
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a world-class criminal whose specialty is getting into someone's mind (through their dreams) and steal their secrets, essentially performing corporate espionage. He's also on the run. When a client, Saito (Ken Watanabe), offers him a job that will enable to return to his children, it's a deal he can't refuse.
Saito's main competitor Maurice Fischer (Pete Potlethwaite) is dying, and his son Robert (Cillian Murphy) will soon inherit the empire. Instead of extracting information from Robert's subconsciousness, the job is to plant an idea in his mind, for him to break up and sell part of Fischer's company. In order to do this, Cobb must perform an "inception" deep in Fischer's subconsciousness. It's a feat that has only been done once, and Cobb assures Saito it will work, and that Saito must guarantee his end of the deal.
Soon Cobb assembles his team, including his trusted second-hand man Arthur (Joseph Gordon Levitt), "architect" Ariadne (Ellen Page) whose job is to design the dreams, Eames (Tom Hardy) who is a master impersonator, Yusuf (Dileep Rao) who is an expert chemist and will give them a rare sedative strong enough for them to go deep into Fischer's mind. Saito is coming along as well, to make sure they do the job right.
The ensemble cast is exceptional. Leonardo DiCaprio (Shutter Island) is very good as Cobb, the troubled, conflicted mastermind of this whole scheme. Cobb is a brilliant architect himself, but he is burdened by a deep-rooted guilt. DiCaprio's performance is spot-on but also reminds us of his role in Shutter Island, which interestingly also deals with the mind. There are certainly many similarities between the two roles, but I think DiCaprio handles this one much better than he did in Shutter Island.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt ((500) Days of Summer) is wonderful as Arthur, a con man who is an expert in research, planning and execution. He's a grown up tremendously as an actor. As Arthur, Gordon-Levitt proves once again he is the thinking people's action hero. Ellen Page (Juno) fits in well even though she's the only female in the cast apart of Cotillard and she's never done a big-budget action movie before. Still, I find her performance a bit too understated and one-note.
Tom Hardy (Bronson) is probably the most badass good guy I've seen in a while. He steals every scene he's in. Same can be said of Cillian Murphy (The Dark Knight) -- he commands attention every time he's on screen. Ken Watanabe (Shanghai) is excellent as Saito. Tom Berenger (Sinners and Saints) and Michael Caine (The Dark Knight) are both seasoned pros. Finally, Marion Cotillard (Nine) is sexy and perfect as Cobb's wife.
The screenplay by Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight) is by far the greatest achievement of this movie, and will be talked about for a very long time (and will undoubtedly get an Oscar nomination). Written over a decade, the story is exceptionally intelligent, intricate and complicated, and yet Nolan is able to guide us through the maze of the multi-layered plot twists. The thing is, we have to pay attention. If you blink a few seconds too long, you may miss something important. The reason I didn't give you a more detailed plot synopsis is that it's very difficult to summarize everything. The plot deals with many elements and themes, and the twists and turns are so intricate that you simply have to watch it (and watch it again, and maybe again) to completely understand it.
That's not to say the story is difficult or confusing. We simply have to pay attention because there's a lot of information, hints and clues. It's a puzzle. There is a lot of exposition in the first half of the film to explain how it all works, and the different concepts such as "totem," "limbo," "inception," and the time-differentials between multiple layers of dreams. Again, pay attention or else you will not understand the second half of the movie. Nolan also combines the intelligent science-fiction with Jungian philosophies and James Bond-like action, all wrapped up in a "heist" thriller. Needless to say, Nolan's story is a geek's wet dream come true, and will certainly prompt discussions and debates for years to come.
Not only is Nolan a great writer, he's also a great director. If he can also act, he'd be the most envied entertainer in the world. His direction is crisp, well paced, and masterful. The camerawork is exceptional. The cinematography is excellent with just the right use of CGI that doesn't call attention to itself. There's a zero-gravity hallway fight sequence that is so well conceived and executed that it's a difficult act to follow. It helps that Nolan writes the screenplay, so he's able to streamline the story and add enough exposition (but not too much to bog down the plot) so that the audiences are not lost. That itself is an achievement considering how complicated the plot is.
In my opinion, Inception not only meets the expectations and hype, it exceeds them. The writing is intricate and intelligent, complicated and well thought-out. The execution is flawless. The acting is impressive from everyone in the cast. And there are even real emotions (one of the criticisms about Nolan's films is that they're usually intellectual but unemotional) and humor. The ending is perfect and will keep people talking for a very long time. It's one inception Nolan's performed to our minds that will not soon be forgotten. 
Gru (Steve Carell) is a super-villain on the verge of doing something really big, and he also considers himself despicable, living in a small town where people seem to leave him alone. He's mean to children (but never animals). After a rival villain stole the Pyramid of Giza, Gru vows to commit the crime of the millennium by stealing the moon.
But first, he needs financial support. Banker Mr. Perkins (Will Arnett) would only commit to the plan if Gru could procure a shrinking ray gun. Gru does just that, but his rival, Vector (Jason Segel), steals the ray gun from him. To get it back, Gru concocts a plan by adopting three orphan girls to help him: Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Caier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher).
Little does Gru know his life is going to change because of these three little girls. While Gru proceeds with the plan, he's constantly distracted with his "parenting" tasks. Little by little, Gru softens up while his minions and partner Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) are waiting for him to act. Gru must choose. Or does he?
Steve Carell (Date Night) has had some bad luck with his live-action movie career, but as the voice of Gru, he's charmingly droll with a fake Russian accent. Gru is a man of few words, but when he talks, you listen, and we know underneath the tough and rough exterior, there's a softie, and Carell does a fine job conveying those emotions, and the animators succeed in using his personality to come up with the interesting character that is Gru.
Jason Segel (I Love You, Man) is funny and unrecognizable as the voice of Vector, Gru's nerdy, Bill Gates-lookalike rival. Russell Brand (Get Him to the Greek) also does an interesting and unrecognizable voice as Dr. Nefario. Both complement Carell's performance.
Will Arnet (Jonah Hex) joins the cast as Mr. Perkins with his trademark sharp tongue. Kristen Wiig (MacGruber) is spirited as the mean orphanage director. Julie Andrews (Shrek Forever After) is marvelous as Gru's disapproving mother. The three little girls are adorably voiced by Miranda Cosgrove (The Wild Stallion), Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher (Medium) -- it's nice to see them using real children's voices for these roles.
Written by Ken Daurio (College Road Trip), Sergio Pablos and Cinco Paul (College Road Trip), the story is a big fantasy not necessarily anchored in reality (by comparison, Toy Story 3 is based on reality even if it's about talking toys). It has the zany energy and imagination of Loony Toons. The story is rather simple and straightforward, and there's a Coyote and Roadrunner feel to the cat-and-mouse game, especially between Gru and Vector. The plot is a series of over-exaggerated events that requires a huge dose of suspension of disbelief. By and large, for a "cartoon," that works.
The strength of this movie is the characters, most of whom well drawn and lovable, or at least entertaining. It reminds me of Pixar's Monster, Inc. -- both are set in somewhat a "fantasy" world, and the characters are equally zany and quirky. Gru is pointy, hulking, yet lovable. The girls are soft and cute and cuddly. The supporting cast is witty and funny. But the real stars of the movie are the "minions" -- yellow, spongy, goofy "things" with short limbs that are designed for merchandising heaven. They are the source of much of the amusement and giggles.
However, I feel that the filmmakers are trying so hard to make us love and adore and want these minions that it feels manipulative. In fact, much of the story feels manipulative. We're made to want to keep saying, "Awww" every few minutes. The story also is extremely simple and without the complexity or layers of Toy Story.
Despicable Me is a cute and adorable animation, mostly suitable for young kids (age 5 to 14) and adults who have kids or are kids at heart. It's simple pleasure, but a bit too simple for my taste. As an adult, I like my animation a bit more sophisticated while entertaining (something Pixar has been doing all these years). There's really no reason to dumb it down just to entertain the young kids. And I also rather resent the fact that they try to manipulate us every inch of the way. All right, I don't mean to be snippy; it really is cute and fun. Perhaps it's just the despicable me speaking here… 
Ben Kalman (Michael Douglas) is a car magnate in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area. He was once a hot shot, with many powerful and wealthy friends. After he was busted for scamming his customers, he almost lost everything. Now, he's staging his comeback by trying to open a new dealership. Everything seems to be going well for him.
Ben is also a philanderer. His wife Nancy (Susan Sarandon) divorced him after catching him cheating with a myriad of women. In fact, he makes no qualms about sleeping with all these women in front of Nancy and their adult daughter Susan (Jenna Fisher) -- they're used to his bragging but somehow, they still consider him family regardless.
He's dating a rich and powerful divorcee, Jordan (Mary-Louise Parker), who has the connections to get what Ben wants. When Jordan asks Ben to escort her daughter Allyson (Imogen Poots) to a Boston university and to convince the Dean to accept her (Ben is an alumnus and also a significant donor -- there's a library bearing his last name), he reluctantly agrees. Then Ben makes a fatal mistake by sleeping with the calculating Allyson, and thus begins his downfall.
It's a pleasure to see Michael Douglas (Ghosts of the Girlfriends Past) back in the fray in a dramatic role. I've always enjoyed his performances, in films such as Wall Street, Wonder Boys, Traffic and Falling Down. Douglas is at his best when he's not constrained by Hollywood big budget, and when he's playing deeply flawed characters such as Gordon Gekko or Grady Tripp. Lately, though, he's been playing to his Gekko alter-ego, and Ben Kalman is no different. Ben is a difficult man to like -- he tramples over everyone to get what he wants, and his ethics and morals are objectionable. Amazingly, Douglas manages to play the unlikable character with great heart and soul to at least make us empathize with him, if not sympathize. And his character is so interesting that you can't help but stay around to watch what kind of mess he's making.
This is essentially Douglas's show, but the supporting cast is wonderful and makes the story so much more layered and relevant. Susan Sarandon (Speed Racer) is fantastic as Ben's ex-wife, who seems to be resigned to accept her ex for the kind of person he is. At the same time, you can tell how much she still loves him, and hopes for the "man she fell in love with" to return. That makes Ben's character even more despicable, in a way -- how can he give up on such a great woman? Danny DeVito (House Broken) is also in great form as Ben's college friend. The three veteran actors show us experience and talent do make a difference. They're pros and they play off each other expertly.
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) is fantastic as the brittle, manipulative Jordon, and somehow her character makes us want to root for Ben, even though he's the one who's in the wrong. Jenna Fisher (The Office) is amiable and sweet as Ben's daughter -- you kind of wonder how a man like him raised a daughter like her (oh well, we forget, her mother is Susan Sarandon!). Her character is kind of a door mat until she stands up for herself and on her son's behalf.
Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later) stands out (considering the stellar cast, it's rather incredible) as the cold, calculating, unforgiving Allyson. She makes me aware that there are some women you just do not want to screw with, so to speak. Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland) can play the droll, meek "nice guy" in his sleep. And it's nice to see Richard Schiff (Imagine That) in a minor role as a banker.
Written and directed by Brian Koppelman (co-directed by his Ocean's Thirteen collaborator David Levien), the story feels personal and cautionary. Ben Kalman isn't a very nice man, but under the smooth, slick, even oily surface, you know there's a very lonely, scared, incredibly sensitive guy. The characters are well developed and their relationships believable. One of the best tricks of developing great characters is by focusing on their relationships with other characters, and Koppelman does a great job.