The Kids Are All Right*****

Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, together, have seven Oscar nominations, but take into account that they were nominations, not wins. The Kids Are All Right has not only the most previously Oscar nominated talent, but also a good chance at finally bringing home some gold for at least one of its stars.

In The Kids Are All Right, Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) are a lesbian couple that both have a child using the same anonymous sperm donor. The children, named Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Waikowska), who are now in their teenage years, become eager to search for their biological father.

When the kids find their father, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), their first meeting goes well. The twist comes when the kids decide to keep this meeting from their mothers, and continue to create a relationship with Paul. A few humorous scenes later, Laser accidentally reveals the truth about what they have been hiding from their moms.

Jules and Nic agree to meet Paul and hopefully build a relationship with their children's father. The emotional roller coaster that becomes the life of this once-happy family becomes heart-wrenching as well as stressful.

As I mentioned, Julianne and Annette have never won an Oscar, and unfortunately at the end of the night, one will still be Oscarless. It looks like Julianne will come that much closer to being the Susan Lucci of the Academy Awards. Both women were strong in their roles, but Annette has the heavier material as well as a more powerful delivery in the emotional scenes. Her shining moment is during the dinner scene toward the end of the movie where Annette delivers an outstanding silent performance. Her demeanor and facial expressions are classic Annette, and my bet is that this could be her Oscar moment.

Julianne has become an Oscar darling, with the majority of her nominations coming from playing roles of 1950's housewives. In The Kids Are All Right she is also a housewife, but a modern day one to say the least. We might have to hold our breath a little longer to hear Julianne's name on Oscar nomination day, but I think she has good chance at becoming a five-time Oscar nominee.

In addition, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Hutherson, and Mia Waikowska are marvelous in their respective roles. Mark plays the biological father with a bit of confusion and grace that works well when trying to find his spot in a very modern family.

The Kids Are All Right will definitely walk away with multiple nominations: best picture, two for supporting actress, as well as original screenplay. I think what is exemplified in this film is the same effect Little Miss Sunshine had in 2006 and Juno in 2008. These films are all such crowd pleasers. They give you a little more than you expected, and will keep you talking about them for months.