Is it worth $10? Yes

We’ve seen a lot of troubled American families in movies, often with deep secrets that rock the foundations of their lives. But it’s rare to see a lesbian couple as the head of such a family, and that in part is what makes “The Kids Are All Right” so compelling.

Years ago, Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) each decided she wanted to have a baby. The free-spirited, lost soul Jules had Laser (Josh Hutcherson), now a teenager dealing with some bad influences. Straight arrow Nic, who likes wine a bit too much, had Joni (Mia Wasikowska), who’s about to leave for college.

Before Joni goes she tracks down Paul, the sperm donor who made the family possible. Played by Mark Ruffalo, Paul develops an interesting bond with each member of the family, and not always for the better. But it’s a credit to Ruffalo’s performance that the interactions he has with his estranged children are as appropriately awkward as they are – this makes it feel real and natural, as it should.

In fact, most of the film feels grounded in reality. Save for the fact that the family has two matriarchs, the struggles, fights and emotions faced here are exactly what we’d expect in a modern family drama. In itself having two women head the family doesn’t make the movie better, but script, direction and acting are so solid that it enhances the turmoil in new and fascinating ways.

Writer/director Lisa Cholodenko has pulled off a rare feat: She has seamlessly merged the family and parenting issues in “The Kids Are All Right” with those often depicted in a straight couple with teenage children. Is it bold? Yes. Is it groundbreaking? To an extent, but the full impact remains to be seen. And thanks to a smart script and great performances from Bening, Moore and Ruffalo, this definitely deserves to be seen.

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