Mae Stroshane

This film appears to be at first glance a feel good family film, and on the surface, it is. The kids, 18-year-old Joni and her 15-year-old brother Laser (cool name), are solid, mature and all right, despite the emotional grinder they get pushed through . Their parents, Nicole “Nic” (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) are grappling with years of marriage that’s hit some roadblocks, and the way they face them is NOT all right. Laser wants to meet his biological father, Paul (a sexy Mark Ruffalo), a sperm donor who also produced Joni for their lesbian mothers. They meet Paul and it makes for an awkward funny scene. That probably should be the end of it, but Joni wants to get to know him. Jules accepts it but Nic feels threatened. "It’s as if we’re not enough.” As an adopted child, I sympathize with Joni and Laser. It's natural for kids to want to meet their biological father. And Paul seems like a nice guy. Why not let him into their family? We find out just why as the story progresses. Nic resents the way "Paul seems to be taking over the family" and not in ways you'd expect. Annette Bening won an Oscar as Nic, and I can see why. She conveys Nic's first impressions of being stern and domineering, as she resents Paul’s unintended intrusion into their lives. Later, after being betrayed by Jules and Paul, she wins our sympathy with subtle, heart wrenching tears. I’ve watched this film many times. Though it’s bumpy in pace and intention, I highly recommend it.