So the premise is that this girl Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and her brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson) were both conceived artificially by both of their gay moms: Joni to Nic (Annette Bening) and Laser to Jules (Julianne Moore). Joni has turned 18 and this is her last summer at home before going off to college. At the instance of her 15 year old brother, she contacts the sperm bank where their moms went to locate the donor, Paul (Mark Ruffalo).
Right off the bat you can see that Nic is the "bread-winner" of the family if you will. She is a doctor (I'm pretty sure an OB delivery doctor). She very much wants control and perfection. Jules is much more laid back. She almost seems drunk as she slurs her words a lot, but it is Nic that goes through bottle after bottle of wine. Jules has had several start up businesses that don't seem to go anywhere and is now settled on a landscape design business.
Paul is ridiculously laid back. He has a small organic farm that he owns and uses the vegetables in a small restaurant that he owns. He's very flirtatious and charming and very natural. When Joni first contacts him he is more than happy to meet with her. There's no hesitation or regret just pure curiosity.
While Laser wanted to meet Paul it is Joni who has the most in common with him. When they meet, Paul hugs Joni and then shakes hands with Laser, before pulling him into this half-hug, standing side-by-side, and shoulder-to-shoulder. This is what made the movie real for me.
My brothers and I don't have the greatest relationship with our father and when I have seen him he hugs me the same way: shoulder-to-shoulder. Jules makes a comment that she sees her kids facial expressions when having a conversation with Paul. It's not until I see my father that I'm reminded how much my brothers can look like him.
Anyway, Nic comes to believe that Paul is trying to takeover her family - - her life. In a way, she's not wrong. So she decides that she wants to get to know him better and this is the moment when everything could be OK. Of course it doesn't stay that way but it is a great look at a, slightly-odd, blended family.
I view this movie differently than the girl I saw it with. I brought so much fatherly baggage to the viewing that I have mixed feelings on Paul. I didn't even know that would influence how I see this movie. My friend, who has a whole separate father issue, sees Paul different than me. Even though neither one of us grew up in a lesbian home or never knowing our fathers, like Joni and Laser, this movie was still extremely relatable.
I can say nothing bad about the acting though. Outstanding. Bening and Moore were just phenomenal and Ruffalo was so natural. I can't say that I enjoyed Wasikowska in Alice in Wonderland but I just loved her here. At times I had trouble believing that Hutcherson was playing a 15 year old but the dialogue he was given was great and I think that growing up in a non-typical family situation can make a person grow up a little fast.
I went in anticipating that this movie would be more comedic than it was. Quips from the trailer came off as funny there and a bit mean-spirited in the film. At least through my interpretation. But I can't say that I didn't like it. I'm just still sorting it out.
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