The underdog hit of the summer--The Kids Are All Right--opened at the Little Theater last Friday, and it is packing the theater! When I attended on Saturday, I don't think there was a single empty seat left in the house. Beyond box-office buzz, this film is striking up discussions and debates across the country while viewers try to decipher its messages and work this particular queer family into their psyches. There are many such debates springing up online. In fact, there are at least three different conversations about this film going on right now on my Facebook home page.
Here are a few of the more interesting full articles I have seen so far: (spoiler warnings for both links)
"An Indie Hit's Sex Message" (The Daily Beast)
"‘Lesbian marriage movie’ shakes up US cinema" (france24.com)
More importantly, what do you think about it?
Posts
4 comments:
I have to see it again. February seems so long ago. Haha. But been hearing great feedback from friends who have just seen it. And as expected, there are some disappointments. Like many people can't get past the affair. While others want to see more at the end. I think the film is perfect as it is. Would love to see what others think.
Saw it Monday night in Toronto with my partner. I liked it a LOT. My partner was very bothered by the affair. I was taken totally offguard by it, and it didn't set too well with me at first, but the more I talk about it with friends, I can see both sides of the ruckus it seems to be raising, in those who have seen the film. The acting by everyone in the cast is superb....matter of fact I would be pleased to see Annette Benning be nominated for an Oscar for her wonderful portrayal in this movie. Yes, I would like to have seen a little more "fleshing out" of the story perhaps, but it's one of those movies where you can come to your own conclusions as to what happens to the family after the movie ends.
Two things that are great about The Kids Are All Right:
it brings home the point that...a family is a family is a family. and....it is promoting much discussion, it seems, after people see it. THAT is the mark of a well-done movie and story.
The way I see it is...maybe she's really bisexual...
(SPOILER ALERT)
Notice in the scene when they wonder if their might be gay because of the gay porn they caught him watching...first of all, wasn't it "mom's dvd" OK but more importantly, she says something along the lines of sexuality being fluid or on a continuum or something like that. She doesn't use those exact words but it's something to that effect. I take that up as a "clue", if you know what I mean.
And the affair is dealt with very well, IMO. Notice "the other woman" (I don't remember their names) gets really, REALLY angry, as in "WHY? because you needed to know what it feels like to be F----?
But in all, I think it's one of those movies where the writer/director wants to challenge the audience. I believe Michael Gamilla once said that audiences need to be challenged sometimes. And I agree (even if I don't always like what I see. :) ) And this movie does that.
I think the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival chose well in awarding the Teddy Award to this film.
Just my 2 cents. Ok, ok, 5 cents... :)
We saw it Tuesday night. It was a very good size audience for a Tuesday. A few other ImageOut members were there too. This is not a perfect movie but is still a very good one, and well worth seeing.
The shift in focus at the end, ie: the daughter going off to college, threw me a bit. Where during the whole movie did we see any of this building up? Also it would have been nice to have more closure with the son. I thing his character is the least explored in the film.
The movie works best when it is showing that these are all very normal people who go through the same kinds of issues as many others do.
Post a Comment