Each of the three films I've seen by Mike Mills always had this air of uncertainty about the future—that things you think of happening doesn't happen, and something completely opposite of what you think of ends up happening. If that makes sense. But not in a grim way, more of, in an optimistic and heartwarming way. His stories are always about family, the little idiosyncrasies, and what makes family relationship so complex, so powerful and instrumental in terms of how we create our outside relationship. Although there are moments when we don't connect with our family, our bond with them, not just by blood, but our shared experiences and affinity, pull us back effortlessly together. I think it was a nice touch that Mills wrote Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), who is single and childless—and probably doesn't plan on having his own kids—and made him go through the experience of taking care of…