“The Kids Are All Right,” 11 February 2011, DVD. Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are the ‘perfect’ lesbian couple. Well not a perfect couple, but they are cringe-inducing caricatures of modern parenting and attitudes. N is the ob-gyn money earner, control-freak mom; J is the free spirit, unsuccessful stay-at-home trying to find her way in a new business as a landscape architect while feeling underappreciated. Their two kids, Joni (Mia Waskiowski) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson) share an anonymous sperm bank dad. Laser especially wants to contact him and Joni and Laser do. He’s restaurant owner, free spirit Paul (Mark Ruffalo). They meet and what follows is funny, painful, and disruptive. In the end, family—en masse—protects itself leaving Paul out in the cold, again simply the guy who provided the juice. The kids are very good (I really liked Hutcherson’s work) and I thought Ruffolo excellent. Bening and Moore are such stereotypes that they didn’t resonate much for me. Again, I think the lives of LA’s upper-middle class pretty irrelevant. The kids are interesting as is Ruffola who finds he really wants a family. Bening is fierce but this is so scripted it just feels like there’s no flow. Moore is scattered, and that’s fine, but while her actions fit the story line, they seemed a bit anomalous for the character. Ironically, I think she played far more ‘in place’ and passionate as a heterosexual. (My own dreaming?). Would this ever be done with less beautiful people in any of the roles?. No way. Critics raved over it. We liked watching the movie (b4 saw it with friends when it first came out and enjoyed it, too) but I’m a bit underwhelmed, all things considered. Didn’t bother to watch the special features.