Alex (Claire Danes) and Greg Wheeler (Jim Parsons) are loving parents of their son Jake in New York. He's a psychiatrist who avoids confrontation. She's a former lawyer staying home to care for Jake despite shade from her mother (Ann Dowd). They send Jake to kindergarten run by Judy (Octavia Spencer). Judy reports some difficulties with Jake wearing dresses as the loving parents struggle with this gender issue.
This is a story about Jake. Jake should be the lead. Jake holds the more compelling drama. Jake is rarely seen and even less heard from. This is a story about Jake without Jake. The major dramatic event comes in the second half. The first half is mostly the parents tippy toeing the issue and the movie is infected with the tippy toeing. Instead of immersing in the drama, it walks around it and avoids it. This could be a great movie if it's about the kid and not the parents.
