Comments on: The Kids Are All Right – Jesus on Toast

By: Movie Review: Last Night — A Sorta Novel Take on the Infidelity Motif

Movie Review: Last Night — A Sorta Novel Take on the Infidelity Motif — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:46:06 +0000

[…] the audience toward an interpretation of one character or another. Take a recent movie like the The Kids Are Alright, where infidelity attempts to vilify two characters – Ruffalo and Moore – while it presumes […]

By: Last Night — A Sorta Novel Take on the Infidelity Motif

Last Night — A Sorta Novel Take on the Infidelity Motif — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:55:16 +0000

By: MW

MW — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 02:05:12 +0000

Leave it to two males to completely disregard the notion that Paul wants & chases (the latter is the wrong word, but it’s been a long day and I’m enjoying my wine and not in the mood to reach for a thesaurus) Jules precisely b/c she is (or is supposed to be) unattainable, at least on paper. 95% of men think lesbians really just need XXXX (insert using your own imagination and baggage:) and they will no longer want to be with women. Paul thinks he can swoop in and not only start a ready-made family, as Dustin notes, but also atone for all the wasted time and empty relationships by connecting with someone who already “shares” something of him/his life. And yes, as Charlie noted, the lesbians get back together, infidelity notwithstanding. I liked that the director (whose previous film, HIGH ART, is terrific and proves Ally Sheedy can actually act quite well) didn’t make it appear as if all is fine–it’s apparent the road back to faith and love will be a tough one–but the notion of a man–A MAN–almost breaking up two partnered lesbians with grown children is insulting, annoying, and yes, as Dustin so creatively equates, like Jesus on toast. The MAN could’ve stirred enough trouble without getting naked (way too graphic Ruffalo sex scenes for me, btw). The conflict, insecurities, affection and fear were all there. Chodolenko took the easy way out. I’m thrilled lesbians (played by Moore and Bening, to boot!) as mothers/partners/parents are finally getting an iota of screen time, but I can just picture Middle America: “See, she just forgot what a man is like” or “Those gays…they never stay faithful.”

Meanwhile I was just waiting for an explanation of why they named their kid Laser. Did I miss that???

By: DF

DF — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:00:01 +0000

While I don’t disagree with the elements you mention, the wealth of elements that are merely touched on create an incomplete film for me, and I feel that the film forced a cliched plot conflict by relying on adultery. Adultery doesn’t make it predictable, but it is the easy route to go. Family-conflict-culminates in adultery is not special. That said, I fail to see the exploration of human sexuality, particularly since it’s less of a focus on sexual preference and seems to be perfunctory for Ruffalo and cathartic for Moore, but again, a sexual man-child is an overused trope as is sex as catharsis.

Regarding the children, I think that would have been an awesome angle to tackle; however, it doesn’t seem to affect them at all. Joni openly notes her “moms” when speaking to Ruffalo, and aside from the lack of a male figure, Laser doesn’t really seem fazed by it at all.

You also make a fine point about Ruffalo needing to be needed; at the same time, his need to be needed stems from the realization that his time to be a father and have a family is slipping away. He does note a handful of times that he donated sperm “twenty years ago.” That said, this realization is tackled in many films, and while it’s interesting that he chooses the lesbian woman to fall for, it seems that this is more a matter of convenience because a family is already established, and all the situation requires is his presence, not necessarily an effort. So, in my opinion, his mid-life crisis doesn’t offer a new take on the matter.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:37:00 +0000

Will have to be discussed at a later point. But in a movie about a married couple who have adopted children, the predictable path would have been an examination of the interloper’s effect on the stable family environment. Instead – this movie veers off that path and touches on human sexuality (gender preference notwithstanding) and faith (they remain together after infidelity).

There is more to this movie than you are portending: you neglected to mention the children, which may be the biggest part of the entire movie. Their relationship with their “moms” and how it affects them in the 21st century, although not examined fully, was approached with a sincerity and thoughtfulness that i did not expect. Again, more to be discussed later. You also neglected to mention Mark Ruffalo’s character and his need to be needed. A single man with his own restaurant and several beautiful women who wants to be with him chooses the lesbian mother of his two estranged children. There’s more meat here than you’re leading on (no pun intended).

To say that a movie which has adultery in it is taking the “predictable” path is not really looking at the entire picture.