the kids are all right (or not?)

*****spoilers*****

is it so hard to step out of the limits of conventional gender roles? i had the same feeling while watching brokeback mountain. why does a romantic/sexual relationship between two people need to be depicted in terms of heterosexual roles even though these people are gay? plus, despite it's uber-cliche happy ending, why is it that the lesbian couple have to question their monotonous relationship by means of a heterosexual fling?

(ok, i realize it's better if i continue with a list)

-why is it that we see an unnecessary amount of heterosexual sex scenes and almost none homosexual ones? why is it that julianne moore's nudity is visible in the former and invisible in the latter? actually, a better question, do we need to see any of that wild hetero sex? is it any use to the script other than saying: look she's getting more pleasure out of it than she does with her lesbian lover?

-why is it that we need to know: 'the kids are alright', really. the daughter is seemingly virgin, but hey, don't worry, she likes men, she kisses her best friend remember? and the son is sort of disgusted when he realizes that his moms think he is gay. so they're alright.

-why does annette bening remind us of a boring nick nolte? all negative male characteristics are stuck on her: she's the breadwinner, the successful parent who has control over all family members; she drinks heavily and she wears striped pajamas for god's sake.


and, what was this film about anyway? that gay couples also go through similar problems, they're normal people, ok?