Lisa Cholodenko's exploration of intimate circles of life has been her area of expertise since High Art debuted more than a decade ago. Since then she's directed some stellar episodes of television and the wildly under-appreciated Laurel Canyon -- a perfect L.A. Story with shockingly under-recognized performances from Frances McDormand, Kate Beckinsale, Alessandro Nivola -- who still awaits his killer role -- and this years supporting actor front-runner, Christian Bale. If you haven't had the chance to see Laurel Canyon and are one of the many who've fallen for The Kids Are All Right -- it's a run don't walk. Queue it up, folks: you won't be disappointed.
Now here, in the land of ten, The Kids Are All Right has landed itself a best picture nomination, a best actress nomination -- my dear, sweet Annette -- supporting actor for Mark Ruffalo and screenplay for Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg -- who's Girl Next Door is a guilty-pleasure gem in its own right.
This great ensemble piece is a tribute to Ms. Cholodenko's consistency as an auteur who's stayed true to her '90s indie roots -- much like Nicole Holofcener, who should have received far more recognition this year for her feature Please Give. I've long had both these names tied in a sailor's knot of epic proportions. Their films are very particular. They have different muses. And the truth is, when you take a close look -- you can easily untie them -- they're nothing alike. But when you're me and your brain has decided -- much to your own chagrin -- that it simply will not keep the names straight: you're stuck. You just see "Common Female First Name - Complicated Last Name." Frankly, who doesn't fit under that heading. Lisa Cholodenko and Nicole Holofcener take it to entirely new realms. Perhaps now, I'll keep each in her respective corner -- I've been pretty dang good all year. Barely a slip up.
But there's a better reason to keep these female helmers in the same file: they flew right out of the '90s indie flash and flare of low budget, adult dramedies with true hearts and unquestionably genuine emotion -- and they've never compromised. Larger budgets never lured them away. Neither of these ladies hung up her indie spurs for a crack at Wonder Woman, Batgirl, or some tailor-made Oscar vehicle that would have launched their price-tags and the films' overall budgets into the stratosphere like so many of their male counterparts. They stuck to their product. Now, Lisa Cholodenko is getting the recognition she deserves.
This balanced little picture has nothing to do with whether gay marriage should be legalized. The question of a gay couple's right to adopt is not the issue. There is no previous generation, no Christian right, no activist anything breathing down its cast's neck. The world of this film simply exists: a happy lesbian couple with two well adjusted kids who've hit a threshold in their lives and would like some answers. Perfectly genuine. Perfectly justifiable. Perfectly human. Humbly original.
Now that we are in the throes of the award shuffle, the two performances to fall victim to the mayhem are decidedly Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore. Mr. Ruffalo's continued excellence since he caught the world's attention with You Can Count On Me is without compare. He has handily navigated through smaller and larger films without a hitch. He's taken would-be crummy romantic comedies like 13 Going on 30 and Just Like Heaven and given the leading male role just enough boost and charm to have audience members time and again defending these little gems to any negative naysayers in the lot. And he is on the short list of go-to supporting males for major directors throughout the industry whether it's for David Fincher in Zodiac or Martin Scorsese in Shutter Island.
And what can be said about Julianne Moore? The careful tightrope walk between top independent films of the '90s, the passion projects of their auteurs, and high-level studio prestige pieces has seemed an effortless cakewalk for Ms. Moore. She has delivered endlessly memorable work for Paul Thomas Anderson, sent the Dude to a good and thorough doctor, took a surprising bullet in Children of Men, and served as the crux of The Hours. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Far From Heaven, End of the Affair, Savage Grace --- "30 Rock!" Is it her consistency and repeated nominations that somehow gave her performance the backseat this year? Or was it that she was simply playing the ultimately more flawed of the duo? Whatever the case, she deserves more credit. The adult realm is more or less a three-way split. Franco and Hathaway should drag her up to the Oscar podium simply to yell one word: "Recognize."
Amazingly, however, the characters that were forgotten before the film even reached the theaters were the titular duo: the kids! Yes, they are indeed "all right." They're stellar! Josh Hutcherson as younger brother, Laser -- one can only assume he's destined for a future as a local anchorman -- did a gifted job of playing the lone boy in the house without a father. He was the perfect difficult kid who had a stack of questions in his back pocket -- whether or not he had the itch to hunt down the source for answers. He did a solid job in Bridge to Terabithia -- his continued talent here is no surprise. Then there is Mia Wasikowska -- who is damn near the highest grossing actress of the year between her turn in Kids and Alice in Wonderland. This little miss is the engine and impetus for the entire film. The high-pressured interrogator who simply wants to know the full picture and had no intention of causing a colossal mess is not an easy role to play. To play it with the genuine confusion of an average teen obviously takes the guiding hand and pen of a master like Lisa Cholodenko -- actually delivering the goods, however, is all Mia's work. In a year where so many nominations were handed out to young women, it's a surprise her name was never discussed.
Perhaps, the reason all the others were pushed aside was because of the way this film was immediately categorized -- whether she likes it or not -- as "that movie where Annette Bening is a lesbian."
Folks, I don't know where to begin with my dear Annette and the way she plunged into the role of the less-likable mother -- the stalwart -- the wine drinker -- the doctor. What can you say for the person who sees the snake in the garden and makes her pronouncement as loudly as she can? "Good call." "We should have listened." And yet she is willing to give this donor the benefit of the doubt so that her children can know their "father" and the questions can be answered. More than anyone, she's the guiltless victim of the entire situation, its ripple effects, and the participants' reactions. This seems to only be the case because she was the strongest to begin with and because doubt and "no" seem her kneejerk responses to every question that comes her way. Some could call this "difficult" or "selective." In The Kids Are All Right her reaction seems... well... "accurate."
One wonders who could have played the role besides Annette. One wonders which of the powerful women who may have been considered -- lest we forget, this is the lady who told Warren Beatty's Bugsy to go outside and "jerk himself a soda" -- could have played it with the deliberate level of dial-back required to nail this character like Annette did. Whether it's complaining about a near beer spill on an expensive sofa, navigating the fluctuating affections of younger lovers, toppling the founder of the Las Vegas strip, or telling a grifting John Cusack to "gang way," it seems Annette's Achilles heel has been her genius level of subtlety. Passionate as each of her performances proves, they are rife with an understatement that doesn't hook viewers and voters the way louder work and roles do -- and Annette has no intention of adding bells and whistles anytime soon. Thank heavens.
The playing field has changed wildly since Kids' summer release and it's difficult to tell whether Annette will finally triumph or Natalie will add yet another feather to her cap. Frankly, I don't think it's all said and done just yet. Whether or not a win is the case, I must, for the first time in my life take umbrage with Mr. Warren Beatty on the very grounds he pointed out during his Thalberg speech: during their near 20 years together Mr. Beatty made Annette unavailable four times so they could build a family. Here's hoping with family built and award nominations consistent, Annette will be gracing the silver screen again and again racking up enough trophies to beat the band. If not, I'm sure poolside cocktails with Warren, Jack, and her four kids is joy enough.
- Matthew J. McCue
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