Poster Image
Genre: Comedy
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Cast: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, and Josh Hutcherson

The Kids Are All Right

Released July 7, 2010

The Kids Are All Right is directed by Lisa Cholo­denko (High Art, Lau­rel Canyon) from an orig­i­nal screen­play that she wrote with Stu­art Blum­berg (Keep­ing the Faith). The movie com­bines comedic sur­prise with poignant emo­tional truth in a funny, vibrant, and richly drawn por­trait of a mod­ern family.

Nic and Jules (three-time Acad­emy Award nom­i­nee Annette Ben­ing and four-time Acad­emy Award nom­i­nee Julianne Moore) are mar­ried and share a cozy sub­ur­ban South­ern Cal­i­for­nia home with their teenage chil­dren, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutch­er­son). Nic and Jules – or, when referred to jointly by Joni, “Moms” – gave birth to and raised their chil­dren, and built a fam­ily life for the four of them. As Joni pre­pares to leave for col­lege, 15-year-old Laser presses her for a big favor. He wants Joni, now 18, to help him find their bio­log­i­cal father; the two teenagers were con­ceived by donor insemination.

Against her bet­ter judg­ment, Joni hon­ors her brother’s request and man­ages to make con­tact with “bio-dad” Paul (Mark Ruf­falo), an easy­go­ing restaurateur. The kids find them­selves drawn to the con­firmed bachelor’s foot­loose style – espe­cially in con­trast to Nic, a prin­ci­pled doc­tor who has long estab­lished their house rules. Jules, who has been look­ing to start a new career in land­scap­ing, also strikes up a rap­port with Paul. As Paul comes into the lives of the forth­right four, an unex­pected new chap­ter begins for them as fam­ily ties are defined, re-defined, and then re–re-defined.

A Focus Fea­tures and Gilbert Films pre­sen­ta­tion in asso­ci­a­tion with Saint Aire Pro­duc­tions, Artist Inter­na­tional, and 10th Hole Pro­duc­tions of an Anti­dote Films, Man­dalay Vision, and Gilbert Films pro­duc­tion. A Film by Lisa Cholo­denko. Annette Ben­ing, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruf­falo. The Kids Are All Right. Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutch­er­son. Cast­ing by Laura Rosen­thal. Music Super­vi­sor, Liza Richard­son. Music by Carter Bur­well. Edi­tor, Jef­frey M. Werner. Cos­tume Designer, Mary Claire Han­nan. Pro­duc­tion Designer, Julie Berghoff. Direc­tor of Pho­tog­ra­phy, Igor Jadue-Lillo. Pro­duced by Gary Gilbert, Jef­frey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rat­tray, Jor­dan Horowitz, Daniela Taplin Lund­berg, Philippe Hell­mann. Writ­ten by Lisa Cholo­denko & Stu­art Blum­berg. Directed by Lisa Cholo­denko. A Focus Fea­tures Release.

VISIT THE FOCUS FEATURES WEBSITE FOR THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT