Pain, Family, and Scenic Views - THE DESCENDANTS

THE DESCENDANTS 

2011 - 115 minutes - Drama/Comedy

Director: Alexander Payne 
Country: United States

IMDB: 7.4

Metacritic: 84

RT: 89%

EpicEnthusiast's Rating: 9/10

Watch this movie if you enjoy:

• beautiful shots of Hawaii 

• relatable characters

• a good laugh 

• George Clooney's face 

Avoid this movie if you dislike: 

• profanity 

• a moderate pace 

• Hawaiian people/culture 

• George Clooney's face (impossible) 

Director Alexander Payne takes us to Hawaii to tell us a story about Matt King, (George Clooney) who is caught right in the middle of a mid-life crisis. The Descendants balances suffering, uncertainty, and loss with laughs, charm and comradery. 

The film opens with a shot of King's wife Elizabeth water-skiing from a boat that would eventually crash, and put her in a coma. King then attempts to re-establish a broken relationship with his daughters Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller) to both cope and seek advice. On top of this, King is in the midst of a land deal that could change his home state in a big way. His family has lived on Hawaii for many generations, and because of his father's death he is now the heir apparent to over 25,000 acres of waterfront land on the island of Kauai. He must make the difficult decision of selling the land and making his family millions wealthier, or keeping it in the family and pleasing the locals of Kauai. Just when you think his plate is full, he is presented with a disturbing revelation that sends him racing for answers. 

Matt (George Clooney) and Alex (Shailene Woodley) react
to a questionable comment from the backseat

What The Descendants does best is to provoke emotion. It takes you on a smooth ride of both solemn and joyous feelings, all while telling a wonderful story. The characters are natural, funny, and refreshing, and the cast meshes perfectly as a whole. 

On the production side of things, it also passes the test. Great writing, a unique and cultured soundtrack, and polished camera work that focuses on the characters and their facial expressions. Narrated bits from Clooney give perspective, and add a lot to the story.

The Descendants is a warm and inviting film that demands your full attention. You'll get attached to the characters, and immersed in the gorgeous Hawaiian landscape. It speaks to a number of different age groups, as well as a number of different movie-goers. It instantly became one of my favorites.

-EE