Plot: Jules (Annette Benning) and Nic (Julianne Moore) are lesbian couple, and they have two kids through artificial insemination, 18-year old Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and 14-year old Laser (Josh Hutcherson. The kids look up their sperm donor father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), who turns out to be a nice, likable, and eligible. Paul vies for the affection of the kids as well as the affection of the two Moms.
Review: It's the same, but different. It's the same because we have seen dozens of love triangles and family dramas, but it is different because we have not seen it played out with lesbian parents before.
It is a little better because Mia Wasikowska's Joni character plays a pivotal role in her breaking away from her Moms, and in inviting her biological Dad into the family at the same time. We have a more interesting dynamic between interloper Paul and the three women because we have the growing-up story with Joni too.
Annette Benning, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Mia Wasikowska all do a great job acting. It is like a newer Woody Allen movie with good dialog basically about feelings for the whole film. Director Lisa Cholodenko underplays the final scenes, and it produces a thoughtful feeling.
Is this any film any better because it was about a homosexual couple? Yes perhaps because no one has seen this before. I am not sure why we needed a sub-plot on male homosexual videos -- unless this for laughs.
Homosexual couples are presented as being as good or better than straight couples. There is one line where son Laser is told that he would be a better person if he were gay -- which I thought was in bad taste. The idea that homosexual parents would encourage homosexuality in their children is a classic argument against homosexual marriage. I was very surprised that director Cholodenko would put such a remark in the movie. Cholodenko was probably trying to stir a debate, but maybe that is what she really thinks.
A second interesting topic is whether human sexuality orientation is born or chosen. Jules says that human sexuality is complicated, and both Jules and Nic like watching sex tapes of men. Obviously Jules has some pretty spontaneous bisexual behaviors too. Clearly they were not born liking women only. On the opposite side, they were very interested in whether son Laser was having a gay relationship with his friend.
Cast: Annette Benning, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Waskikowska
Written and directed by: Lisa Cholodenko
Rating: 3.5- stars; A 3.0 movie but after leaving the theater, the movie brings to mind issues that make it seem more substantive the second day -- so 3.5. It lacks the fun-ness necessary to be higher.
More: Mark Ruffalo should get some kind of lifetime achievement award for all of the excellent supporting role performances he has in arty independent movies.
Even More: I don't think that any 18-year old girl could sit at the dinner table with her parents talking about having sex with each other without turning green and vomiting -- lesbian Moms or not.
Yet More: I wonder how auto-biographical this film was for writer Cholodenko, who is a lesbian raising kids with her partner. One news article said her mannerisms and style are much like Annette Benning's Jules character.
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