The Kids are All Right - and So Am I

I’m finding these days that films aren’t really holding my interest. I’m not sure if my mind is going in too many directions, or I’m simply not up to following plots.
But some films are worth exceptions. One of these was “The Kids Are All Right”, which I’d been waiting for months to see and has finally come out on DVD. I simply refused to miss it.

It’s actually ironic that I picked this film for this time. I originally chose it because it’s an Oscar contender, which makes it an obvious choice. But once I saw it, I realized that it suited me better for a whole other reason. On some level, it was a disappointment. On another, I think it was just what I needed.

This is an indie film in the best sense. It talks about Relationships and How They Come About and Evolve. (Proper nouns used for a reason.) There are Oscar-worthy performance both from Annette Benning and my girl Julianne Moore. Love the rest of the cast as well. But the drawback with the film is the sub-par writing. There were several times when I actually thought to myself “Who talks like that?”
Certainly no one I know. I have a reputation for using an odd vocabulary myself, and it’s still not things I would say. Combine that with the thematic elements present, and the obvious subplots, and the film becomes I slight disappointment (emphasis on slight).

But there’s a reason why I stuck with the film, and actually finished it in one setting. Bear with me here, because I’m about to segue into something important. The film is familiar. It reminds me of the films that I would trek miles to see just because they WERE independent films – out to Towson Commons or to the Charles and now to Bow Tie in Annapolis. Of course, being a Focus Film helps.

As I write this piece, it is Thanksgiving. My other half is miles away, because he works retail and has to work tomorrow’s Black Friday Crunch. I miss him greatly, but will see him this weekend. I’ll be spending a few hours with my family. That’s why people watch films about families – it’s therapeutic to compare. Plus, it always makes you feel better to realize that you aren’t as screwed up as you think.

I’ve realized in the last two weeks that my family and my life are certainly dysfunctional. But guess what? So is everyone else’s. Everyone has trials and tribulations. Mine might be a bit much, but it’ll all turn out right in the end – eventually. I’ve also realized my inner circle isn’t quite as small as I originally thought, which I’m EXTREMELY thankful for. I have a boatload of people who love and support me , making me pretty blessed.

So basically, I’ve spent about 500 words to say that not only are the Kids all right, I am too. Or I will be. Eventually.