THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (15) Comedy/Drama/Romance. Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta. Director: Lisa Cholodenko.

The Oscars may be the glitziest and most glamorous date in the film industry calendar but, as history attests, the golden statuettes rarely go to the most deserving.

%movie(28197) Kirk Douglas, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Peter O’Toole and Barbara Stanwyck may have collected Honorary Awards, but were all repeatedly snubbed for their dazzling performances.

With seven nominations and not a single win between them, Annette Bening and Julianne Moore join that illustrious list as two of Hollywood’s greatest and shamefully unrewarded actresses. They are utterly fearless, willing to emotionally expose themselves to an audience for the sake of their characters.

Both should expect further nominations for their scintillating performances in Lisa Cholodenko’s touching comedy, an emotionally raw portrait of a family in crisis that doesn’t ever become gloomy or depressing.

Control freak doctor Nic (Bening) and her long-term partner Jules (Moore) have each raised a child, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), using sperm from the same anonymous donor.

The family unit is secure and happy, and the two women lavish love upon their well-adjusted teens.

“Come give us hugs,” coos Jules, beckoning Laser to the sofa before he heads out for the evening.

“Hug her. It’s what she's there for,” he responds, truculently pointing to Nic, having reached that difficult age when public displays of affection are unacceptable.

When Joni and Laser decide to secretly track down their biological father, they bring organic restaurant owner Paul (Mark Ruffalo) into their happy home.

Paul is a slacker, who rides a motorcycle – a definite no-no for Nic – and is sleeping with one of his waitresses (Yaya DaCosta).

Nic feels threatened – “He’s not a father. He’s our sperm donor!” – but Jules tries to remain calm, accepting a job offer from Paul to landscape his garden.

Unexpected sexual tension between Jules and Paul threatens everything the two women have worked so hard to build.

Co-written by Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right is blessed with a razor sharp script littered with stinging one-liners, and a heartbreaking confession scene when the entire family tearfully attempts to bridge divisions.

Bening is sensational, unleashing barbed insults to mask her vulnerability and pain, while Moore harnesses a chilled-out, bohemian air.

Timing is exquisite in fraught conversations between the family members.

Wasikowska and Hutcherson are excellent too as the innocents caught in the crossfire, crying genuine tears as cracks appear in their world.