Best Supporting Actor 2010: Mark Ruffalo in The Kids are All Right

Mark Ruffalo received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Paul Hatfield in The Kids are All Right.

I think the Kids are All Right had its moment, but I really never found it to be that well written or told overall.

Mark Ruffalo portrays Paul Hatfield who was the sperm donor for two lesbian women Nicole and Jules's (Annette Bening, Julianne Moore) children Laser, and Joni (Josh Hutcherson, Mia Wasikowska). I actually felt Ruffalo's Paul actually was the male lead in the film, well until his last scene where he is sort of given the supporting player treatment. Paul is a seemingly successful man who like to do his own thing, and seemingly live for the moment. This performance here really I do not have that much to say about despite his abundance of screen time actually. He smiles a lot, has his independent personality going on I guess, but little more than that. Ruffalo I suppose is charming enough, and he does fit with the character well enough, but he never really honestly seemed to be doing very much with his performance.

Ruffalo is technically fine for most of the film until near the end of the film where his character is suppose to have a change. He is suppose to show that now his character no longer wants to be a free wheeling man, but rather settle down and have a family. I really did not believe this part of the character at all, and mostly because of Ruffalo. Ruffalo never made any suggestion to wanting more before he declares it. He never showed a desire, nor did he show any build, suddenly Paul just wanted it which came off quite unrealistically. If he did not fail in this more challenging part of his performance.. Overall his performance simply is unimpressive and when he has a chance for more he fails.