The Kids Are All Right (2010)

The Kids Are All Right is a warm, witty and emotionally honest family drama with strong romantic-comedy beats. Set in Los Angeles, it follows Nic and Jules, a long-term lesbian couple raising two teenage children conceived by the same sperm donor. When their eldest, Joni (about to leave for college), persuades her younger brother Laser to track down their biological father, they meet Paul — a charismatic, free-spirited restaurateur and farmer. What begins as a curious, low-stakes reunion quickly upends the household. As Paul becomes part of the kids’ lives and increasingly involved with the family, he forges close bonds with Joni and Laser, hires Jules for a landscaping project, and eventually ignites an affair with Jules. Nic — a physician used to being in control — reacts with jealousy and fear of losing her family’s cohesiveness. The film follows the ripple effects of Paul’s arrival: tender parent-child moments, comic misunderstandings, painful betrayals, and difficult but necessary conversations about love, responsibility and what makes a family. Viewers can expect naturalistic performances, sharp dialogue, and a balanced tone that moves easily between light, funny scenes and more searing emotional confrontations. The story is character-driven and intimate, exploring modern parenthood, identity, and commitment without easy answers. Overall, the film offers both heart and provocation — it’s engaging, occasionally funny, often poignant, and leaves you thinking about the messy, imperfect ways families grow and change.

Actors: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo

Director: Lisa Cholodenko

Runtime: 106 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

6.4 /10 86 /100 7.0 /10 7.3 /10