The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)

Directed by Rob Burnett 

Written by Rob Burnett (screenplay) and Jonathan Evison (novel)

Starring Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Ehle 

          I was pleasantly surprised with The Fundamentals of Caring. This movie was limited to being released on just Netflix, but easily could have succeeded in theaters. This is one of those movies were you can't stop saying how "cute" of a movie it was after you have finished it. If asked to define why it was "cute," I am not sure what I would even say. It is a funny, feel-good, drama all in one.  Thats all I can say. Plus, you can never get enough of Paul Rudd's cheeky personality.
     Ben (Paul Rudd) is a man suffering from extreme loss (the loss of his son), and is in the middle of a divorce. In the midst of all this, he decides to take a course on becoming a caregiver. Immediately following the completion of the course, Ben takes a job interview with a family- a single mom (Jennifer Ehle) with her 18-year old son suffering from MS, Trevor (Craig Roberts). The mom very reluctantly hires him for this extremely difficult, important task, despite Ben's lack of experience. On top of having to keep track of Trevor's stretching, medication and meal schedule- Ben literally has to wipe his butt for him. Aside from the daunting daily tasks Ben does for Trevor, there isn't much else, considering Trevor is very introverted and spends his days watching TV and eating the same meal of waffles and sausage. Looking to make a difference in his life, Ben convinces his patient to go on a road trip with him to see the deepest pit in the world: a landmark that Trevor oddly has always wanted to see. Along the way they pick up a trash-talking, sarcastic young runaway, Dot (Selena Gomez). The three then embark on a journey where they all learn something about themselves.
     The road trip that the main characters go on, at first appears as a way just to get Trevor out of the house- but it ends up being so much more. Ben is recovering from a tremendous amount of despair after his young son died and this road trip is serving as a perspective change on life for him. Dot is discovering herself as she runs away from her old life, and Trevor is seeing the world beyond the four walls of his house. This movie was filled with heart-warming moments, but no singular cliche emotional scene at the end of the movie. Thats what I liked so much about this movie, based on the book written by Jonathan Evison.
     Aside from the emotion was a genuinely funny movie as well. Craig Roberts did a great job at bringing humor to his characters shitty situation. He could have been a depressing man wallowing in his emanate death from this crippling disease, but he was a sarcastic teenager that made a lot of jokes about his ass being wiped. Paul Rudd has always been a favorite of mine, and I always have appreciated the emotion and humor he brings to any of his characters. This role just adds to his wide array of strong characters. Selena Gomez was given a role of a snarky, rebel 20-something year old- and she played it well. She's not just a singer and a wizard of waverly place. This was a very heart-warming movie so bravo to Netflix for bringing this wonderful piece of work to us. 

   
I give The Fundamentals of Caring a...

7/10

Sausage Party (2016)

Directed by Greg Tiernen and Conrad Vernon

Written by Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill 

Starring Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera

      When I think of how the story of this movie was created- I picture a group of men lead by Seth Rogen sitting in a room high as a kite, brainstorming movie ideas. In this case, I think that is exactly what happen- because only the minds of extremely high men could craft such a weird movie. I mean, its literally talking food. The weirdest part of this whole movie was that I actually kind of liked it. It wasn't horrible. It was fun to imagine that if food could talk, this is how they would act. The humor was often lost behind the vulgarity of the script- but overall it was a tastefully (no pun intended) funny movie. 

     Sausage Party begins with a grocery store full of hopeful food, singing about the "great beyond" and the excitement that lies behind those sliding doors. All the food wishes to get chosen, especially the hotdog, Frank (voiced by Seth Rogen) along with the other hot dogs in his package, Barry and Carl (Michael Cera and Jonah Hill). Frank strongly wishes to get picked off of his Fourth of July display so he can live out his life's destiny- insert himself into the beautiful hot dog bun, Brenda (Kristen Wiig). When they all finally get chosen, Frank and Brenda escape their packaging and fall out of the cart, losing their chance to venture outside to the great unknown. Following the wise influence of the spiritual fire water (voiced by Bill Hader), Frank and Brenda are off on a search to figure out what really goes on outside the grocery store- while also being hunted by the vengeful douche (Nick Kroll). They are joined on their journey by some pretty unforgettable characters like the sexy, Teresa Taco (Salma Hayek) and Sammy the bagel (Edward Norton).
     This animated film definitely had its moments. Seeing the horrific reactions of the food that ended up in some woman's kitchen, ready to be cooked- was pretty hilarious. This film tries to get most of its laughter from its excessive amount of sex jokes mixed with an over the top use of profanity. While these things sometimes gained a chuckle from me, they were mostly just too much. The end scene of the movie is where this movie gets it's R rating, for sure.
     Overall, this is a pretty stupid movie that is strangely funny simply because of the idea of our food having these inane beliefs of this great beyond. The actors that bring the voices to these characters contribute to the humor greatly. Bill Hader provides multiple voices in the film and is great per usual, Michael Cera voices a lovable deformed hot dog that you just wanna hug- and his quiet voice is perfect for this character. A well rounded funny cast to bring life and voices to our everyday food and supplies.

I give Sausage Party a...

5/10

21 Jump Street (2012)

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

Written by Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill 

Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube and Brie Larson

     A comedy, spin-off from the popular 80's television show starring Johnny Depp, "21 Jump Street." This old crime show didn't really have a high demand for a spin-off, but this comedy about an unlikely duo working on the same team undercover as high school students, is quite comical. I didn't have high expectations going into this film considering i'm not the biggest Jonah Hill fan, and Channing Tatum isn't normally a comedy star- however this film proved me wrong. 

     Schmidt (Jonah Hill) was the pudgy nerd in high school, with braces and acne, who couldn't work up the nerve to ask a girl to prom. Jenko (Channing Tatum) was the long-haired athlete who shoved kids like Schmidt in lockers in high school. They were polar opposites in high school, and 8 years later when they're both in the police academy, they're still that way. The two quickly find out they need each other when Schmidt can't pass the physical exam, and Jenko can't pass the written exam. Once the two graduate and prepare for an exciting career on the force, they quickly discover it is not what they were hoping when they're stuck patrolling a park on bicycles. After their brief lapse of shame, they're exiled to an undercover unit that is investigating a new drug that has infiltrated a local high school. Led by the head honcho, veteran cop (Ice Cube), the two are forced to reprise their roles as high school students in order to find the supplier of this drug. 

     While Jenko is much more bitty about returning to high school than Schmidt- that quickly reverses when they both realize how what is "cool" in high school is way different from 8 years prior. Schmidt sinks right into the cool kid crowd led by the superior, Eric Molson (Dave Franco)- and even ventures so deeply into the facade of being a high school student that he asks the sweet Molly (Brie Larson) to the prom. While on the other hand, Jenko ironically begins to hangout with the nerd crowd. 

     The funny thing about this movie is how much Tatum and Hill don't look like high school students at all- and the writers aren't shy about pointing that out in the script. This film could have been utterly cliche with the unlikely duo being paired together and becoming best friends or "brothers" in this case - but 21 Jump Street was not at all. It started with a lot of momentum and never really died down. Hill has an impressive track record with two oscar nominations to his name, so now blockbuster comedies like this are a piece of cake for him as this movie clearly exemplifies. Tatum is funny as the stupid hot guy, once again proving we can't all be pretty and smart. 

I give 21 Jump Street a...

7/10

Bridesmaids (2011)

Directed by Paul Feig 

Written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo

Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy 

     Kristen Wiig wears two hats in this comedy masterpiece as main actress and writer- and does a brilliant job. Despite the negative reviews this film may have gotten, I always had high hopes for it considering how much I enjoyed the Wiig and Rudolph duo on the Saturday Night Live days. My expectations were more than exceeded. Bridesmaids is genuinely funny. 

     Annie (Kristen Wiig) is living the single life, in an apartment with two adult roommates, and working as a jewelry store clerk- after the closing of her bakery, Cake Baby. It's easy to say her life is pretty "blah" at this point. Annie then gets the news that her best friend from childhood, Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married, and wishes for her to be the maid of honor. Annie agrees to take on the responsibility and thus ensues the normal pre-wedding events. We then meet the fellow bridesmaids; Lillian's cousin, Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), the innocent work friend, Becca (Ellie Kemper), the eccentric sister in-law, Megan (Melissa McCarthy) and finally comes the best friend stealer- the elegant and beautiful Helen (Rose Byrne). As the days until the wedding start to countdown, Helen steals Annie's thunder any chance she gets. Wether it be coming up with a better idea for the bachelorette party, having a better speech at the engagement party, or getting the ladies into a fancy wedding dress store. At this point all that it seems Annie is capable of is getting the women sick off Brazilian food- which leads to a disgusting yet the most hilarious scene of the movie. After Annie eventually cracks under pressure, we luckily see friendship prevail in the end. 

     Aside from the humor throughout the movie, Bridesmaids also has a great storyline, a budding romance between Annie and a cop who pulls her over (sounds cliche I know, but it is cute), and a very positive message about friendship. Annie goes though a lot in this movie and gets to a point where she feels she has nothing good in her life. She is reminded that is not true however, by a friend. 

     This movie serves as a sort of comedic coming out for Melissa McCarthy. Sure, she did have some smaller roles before this film, and began the TV show, Mike and Molly before this- but this film was a real catalyst for her career. She was comedy gold in this movie. Her character was so enjoyably weird and quirky and often had me laughing out loud. She even was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in the film! Kristen Wiig led this movie with a lot of great humor as well. Her and Rudolph has a lot of funny moments between them.  The supporting roles from the other women in the bridal party were sometimes comical, but this was Wiig and McCarthy's movie. 

      For Wiig's first time writing s screenplay, Bridesmaids was very impressive. It had a lot of fresh, real humor that i'm sure many people can relate to- especially if you're a woman going through the stress of planning a wedding. McCarthy will always be a comedy favorite of mine after this movie. A definite must see. 

I give Bridesmaids a... 

9/10

Easy A (2010)

Directed by Will Gluck

Written by Bert V. Royal

Starring Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley and Aly Michalka 

     Director Will Gluck, brings us a film that could've fallen in the abyss of cliche movies that revolve around teenage angst and the struggles of fitting in in high school. However, Easy A falls into a unique category of movies about teenagers with satirical references to popular culture, genuine humor, and a lead actress who's momentum never dies down the whole film. 

     Olive (Emma Stone) is an ordinary high school student; in her own words, if she were a ten-story building, Google Earth wouldn't notice her. This claim quickly changes after an innocent lie to her best friend, Rhiannon (Aly Michalka). Growing weary of being virginal and boring, Olive tells her friend that she lost virginity to some guy in college. Un-lucky for her, the school's religion enthusiast and big gossiper, Marianne (Amanda Bynes) over-hears. Her fake confession spreads through the school like wild fire via whispers, text messages and notes passed in class. After one period, Olive's "lost" virginity is what the whole student body is talking about. The main character exacerbates her new floozy reputation when she agrees to help her gay friend (Dan Byrd) "lose his virginity." The two execute a very fake but public sexcapade to convince everyone of his "heterosexuality."

At first Olive embraces her newfound reputation as she embroiders a red A on her chest- just as Hester Prynne did in The Scarlet Letter. As her skanky facade starts to spiral out of control, Olive becomes increasingly more aware of the negatives associated with popularity. 

     What I liked about Easy A so much was how it has such a unique voice compared to other teenager themed films. It plays with the correlation between popularity and sleaze. The screenwriters really dived into what popularity has become in high school, and what it really entails. 

     Emma Stone represents who we wish we could be in the face of sometimes cruel high school judgment and gossip. She gets her chance at leading a film and does it beautifully with charm and ease. Her character had such quick wit and was so likable. I found myself constantly rooting for her the entire duration of the film. It's no surprise Stone received her first Golden Globe nomination for this role. The supporting cast is riddled with familiar names. Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci play Olive's cooky yet supportive parents. The many times I audibly laughed during Easy A were from scenes between Olive and her parents. Thomas Hayden Church plays Olive's favorite teacher, Mr. Griffith. While Lisa Kudrow plays the guidance counselor who is also the teacher's wife. Penn Badgley plays the love interest- who the main character takes the whole movie to fall for. Which we've seen before in John Tucker Must Die. 

     Easy A sheds some light on important issues that many teenagers are probably going through now and adults who went through them years ago. This may be a film directed towards teens but it really deserves a wider audience. It has lots of bold humor that anyone can enjoy. One of my favorite teen films next to Mean Girls. One of my favorite films starring Emma Stone. 

I give Easy A a...

7/10 

     

Deadpool (2016)

Directed by Tim Miller

Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin and T.J. Miller

     In the expanding cinematic universe of Marvel, comes the tale of your not so average "superhero." For those who have felt that recent superhero films have been predictable and anti-climatic, Deadpool is a breath of fresh air with its R rated satirical take on the not so average hero. A laugh-out-loud movie with over a hundred hidden references to other films (like the X-Men franchise), a snarky vengeful main character, and even a love story that may be hard to find at times. 

     The movie opens with the title character (played by Ryan Reynolds) taking a taxi to a fight. 'What superhero takes a taxi as means of transportation, can't they just run fast or fly' you may be asking. This is not your typical superhero movie as Deadpool narrates in the beginning as a disclosure. We soon find out that this anti-hero is driven by one force and one force only: find and kill Ajax (Ed Skrein), the "villain" responsible for giving Deadpool his immortality and making his face look like Freddy Kruger's uglier brother. This vengeance towards Ajax buds from the inhumane torture that he was subjected to at the hands of Ajax and his female henchman, Angel Dust (Gina Carano). He also blames Ajax for the partition he created between him and his estranged soulmate, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). With the opposition of the X-Men, Deadpool faces some resistance from Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand). However, nothing will stop him from seeking out his homicidal revenge plot. 

     Deadpool is your classic anti-hero who isn't constrained by these unspoken rules of morality that we see most superheroes succumb to. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty (or cut off in his case). Un-like most comic book heroes, Deadpool has no remorse for killing or torture although he does so with good reasons. Deadpool's wide success derives off the films off-beat style thanks to director Tim Miller and the screenwriters. Aside from the anti-hero tendencies and qualities of the main character, the film beats excellence with its constant "fourth-wall breaking." Deadpool is constantly aware that he is in a superhero movie, and is caught talking to the camera quite often, wether making direct references about the genre or warning us that "we might wanna look away" during a gory mutilation. 

     Deadpool owes most of its success to lead actor, Ryan Reynolds, who before this movie didn't have the greatest track record with movies adapted from comic books after the dismally received 2011 Green Lantern. However, Reynolds hit the nail on the head with this performance. He gives us this character stricken with revenge over his immortality and loss of love, however his sufficient humanity he brings to Deadpool makes us all hope everything goes well for him. Gotham's Morena Baccarin is aesthetically pleasing as the love interest of the main character while also giving a good performance. 

     This hugely entertaining Marvel flick will appeal even those who say they do not like superhero movies. Deadpool will undoubtedly be labeled as a superhero classic. 

I give Deadpool a...

7/10

Hidden Figures (2016)

Directed by Theodore Melfi

Written by Theodore Melfi and Allison Schoeder (screenplay)

Margot Lee Shetterly (novel)

Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae and Kevin Costner

    From St. Vincent director, Theodore Melfi comes an inspiring tale of the untold true stories of three African-American female mathematicians who all played a key role in calculating the momentous launch of astronaut John Glenn into space. A heroic tale of three woman overcoming race and gender in the workplace during the 1960's Civil Right Movement. A tale that I honestly knew nothing about before seeing this movie. 

     Set in the mid 20th century, Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) are three "human computers" working at NASA but are widely under appreciated as they are stuck working in an employee-temp circle with many other black women. As the race to get a man in space starts to heat up with America wanting to beat Russia, Katherine, Dorothy and Mary start to work their way up, especially Katherine, being that she's the only human computer who knows analytical geometry, finds herself working directly on the John Glenn launch into space with some of NASA's top scientists including leader of the operation Al Harrison (Kevin Costner). 

     Despite the misogyny and racial segregation of the time, these three women prevail from "colored" bathrooms and coffee pots (yes, I said coffee pots) to being some of the key minds that were responsible for John Glenn's successful manned mission into space, and his anticipated return home. Melfi beautifully tells not just a story of three extremely intelligent women working for NASA, he reminds us all of the discrimination that men and women of color went through at this time (and he does so very mildly as this film is rated PG). We are reminded that there were segregated drinking fountains, sections of the library and even schools despite the 1954 Supreme Court case, Brown vs. Board of Education which declared segregated schools to be unconstitutional. Virginia being an exception to this court ruling still had all white schools, which we see in the movie as Mary attempts to take night classes to become an engineer. 

     While this film does have a powerful message of these basically hidden NASA African-American women breaking racial and gender boundaries, it also has some refreshing humor with three working women's friendship. We get so see some quite comical car ride scenes and scenes from their personal lives which make them a little more relatable. 

     Hidden Figures brought some very enjoyable acting performances that I felt were right on this invisible cusp almost Oscar nomination worthy but not quite there. Henson's main character was a lot different from her Empire character, Cookie. She plays such a soft spoken, sensitive character prone to pushing up her glasses on her face who did have one scene where she stands up for herself in a very inspirational Cookie-esque manner. Octavia Spencer brought her usual sense of bold humor mixed with some powerful authoritative scenes. Who knew Janelle Monae could act? Being one of her first acting performances I thought she did pretty great. Oscar worthy? No... but great none the less. We also see some supporting performances in this film that are worth mentioning like Kirsten Dunst who plays the condescending white supervisor who is holding Dorothy Vaughn back. Jim Parsons also has a supporting role as Katherine's arch-nemisis Jim Stafford, who is always giving her ridiculous tasks and feeling envious of her progress. You can't like every character in the movie. 

     After seeing this movie and becoming much more informed on the impact these three women had on Glenn's launch into space, I can say I am very joyous that author Margot Lee Shetterly celebrated their story in her book. Melfi and Schroeder inventively craft their story into a brilliant film about friendship, conquering injustice, and being very very good at math. 

I give Hidden Figures a...

7/10

The Martian (2015)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Written by Drew Goddard (screenplay) and Andy Weir (novel)

Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kristen Wiig

      A gripping sci-fi story brought to the big screen by writer, Drew Goddard and adapted by novelist, Andy Weir, The Martian will leave you at the edge of your seat, mentally and audibly cheering at every small victory that gets astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) one step closer to getting home. Directed by the exquisitely aged mind that brought us other science fiction films such as Alien (1979), this film has a refreshing splash of comedy thrown throughout to leaven the sometimes confusing dialogue filled with lots of astro physics and chemistry. However this film did have me bragging to my friends after that I know how many Earth days equals a Mars sol. 

     Set in the near future, Mark Watney and his fellow Hermes crew members lead by Commander Melissa Lewis (Jessica Chastain), are on a routine walk when a storm strikes the dry planet and sends the crew in a frenzy as they hustle to get back to their ship. The impending situation leaves the crew with no other choice but to evacuate, but while doing so Watney is struck by flying debris and left stranded on Mars while the rest of the Hermes crew presumes him as dead. Talk about some bad luck. Mark wakes impaled by a metal rod and still on Mars. With enough food rations to last him about a month, and stuck in a small life habitat not meant to keep humans alive for very long, his death seems imminent. With the tireless efforts of NASA and Watney's own brilliance, he perseveres and we witness humanity unify as we "bring him home."

     Brilliantly casted, the real beauty behind The Martian lies behind the importance and fluidity that every cast member brings to this storyline. There is no evil NASA scientist secretly plotting against Wateny's heroic return to Earth. Everyone in this film comes together and is genuinely sincere over the efforts to send this astronaut home, and their acting performances show this. Damon's role scored him an Oscar nomination for best lead actor and won him a golden globe. Matt Damon brings a very personable character to the screen that we all cant help but relate to and root for. He doesn't have some sob story of his wife and kids that he needs to get back home to. He's just a man who was doing what he loves and suffered a terrible accident that no one could've predicted. He bring's a very astonishing level of intelligence matched with a dry sense of humor that makes this one of my favorite roles that Matt Damon has played. 

    Aside from Damon, this movie brings us a cluster of strong supporting cast members riddled with Oscar nominees and winners. Jessica Chastain has always and will always be one of my favorite actresses after her roles in The Help (2011) and Zero Dark Thirty (2012), so seeing her play this intellectual commander of the Hermes ship that had a manned mission on Mars was so different than her other roles but she did a stellar job. You can really feel guilt for leaving Mark behind but admire and believe her conviction in getting him back. The rest of the Hermes crew (Michael Pena, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara, and Aksel Hennie) all contribute to the collective greatness of this film. The most prominent NASA crew member was Vincent Kapoor played by the growingly talented Chiwetel Ejiofor. Ejiofor's character, along with Kristen Wiig's character, give us faith that everyone on ground control is doing everything in their power to help Watney. Donald Glover plays astrophysicist Rich Purnell and brings some comical moments to the film. 

     Screenplay writer Drew Goddard beautifully made a film that could've been 142 minutes of confusing science diction and boring scenes that tend to drag on, into something that is brimming with humor and really appeals to a wide audience. I left the film shocked that over 2 hours had passed because every minute had me intrigued. I especially enjoyed the music in the film and found myself downloading lots of old songs that The Martian re-surfaced (Like David Bowie's "Starman"). With a cast that is out of this world (had to throw at least one space pun in there), tremendous visuals, and an unforgettable storyline, The Martian will undoubtedly be deemed a Science Fiction classic. 

I give The Martian an...

8/10

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

       

Directed by Lisa Cholodenko

Written by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg

Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo

     After watching this movie, I can see why its only the kids that are all right. Lisa Cholodenko wears two hats as Writer and Director of this drama/comedy film, and scored her first Academy Awards nomination for best writing for an original screenplay. Cholodenko brilliantly tells a story that American film has never really seen before of two kids both conceived through artificial insemination  that are on the search for the man who donated his sperm to their moms over a decade ago.
     The movie begins and you meet Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and I was immediately hooked because come on, his name is Laser! How unbelievably cool is that! Right off the bat you can tell that Laser is the rebellious younger child while his sister, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) is the older, responsible child who is in the midst of her last summer at home before she heads off to college. Then we meet their moms, Nic (Annette Bening), the authoritarian hard working doctor and Jules (Julianne Moore), the free spirited budding landscape designer. Joni and Laser are well aware of the circumstances of their conception and once Joni is "of age" her and Laser begin the process of finding the man who donated sperm to their moms all these years ago. When bohemian restaurant owner, Paul (Mark Ruffalo) is contacted by the sperm bank that two children would like to meet him, he is caught of guard but intrigued and agrees to meet with them. Fast forward past a first awkward lunch between the kids and Paul to a dinner with Nic and Jules with the children and Paul. Nic, being very type A personality, becomes very territorial over Paul's sudden impact on her families life. She is uncomfortable with how much her children and wife warm up to him, and she makes that very clear. Nic's actions seem a bit over the top at first, but are soon appropriate when a heterosexual relationship begins with Paul and Jules.
     Jules craves attention and affection, which are two things she is not getting from Nic. Thus she jumps into the arms of the first guy or girl that can give her that, which happens to be her and Nic's once anonymous sperm donor. Though their predicament is very unusual, it is not just because they are a couple of the same sex. Similar issues can be found in more conventional households. That Cholodenko decided to tell such an interesting story of the forces that can dominate a relationship with a homo-sexual couple is very different and refreshing from what we as an audience are used to seeing.
     Bening's performance as the outspoken perfectionist, Nic was one of my favorites and one of the reasons I enjoyed the film so much. At one point she says something along the lines of "I need your observations like I need a dick in my ass." My mouth was agape for a solid ten seconds after that line. The audacity that her character has to just say whatever she wants was very fun to watch and I was not surprised she got an Oscar nomination for her role in this. Mark Ruffalo did an impressive job of bringing some light comedy to a movie that otherwise would have been too dark. I have always been a big fan of Julianne Moore and how she is able to play such a wide array of characters, so seeing her play this role was very pleasing.
     Cholodenko leaves the film with a lot of loose ends not neatly knotted, but I still left the movie feeling oddly satisfied. There's really no "happy ending." She really did leave the characters feeling "all right." My satisfaction with the ending comes from the feeling of just being told maybe not your conventional story where some sort of catharsis is reached, but an honest atypical story. The Kids Are All Right was more than "all right" to me.

I give The Kids Are All Right a...

7/10