The Descendants
Cast includes: George Clooney (The Ides of March), Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Amera Miller, Nick Krause (How to Eat Fried Worms), Beau Bridges (Max Payne), Matthew Lillard (She’s All That), Judy Greer (Love & Other Drugs)
Writer/Director: Alexander Payne (Sideways)
Genre: Humorous Family Drama with Scenery (2011) from a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings
People think living in Hawaii isn’t like living in the real world. “Do they think we’re immune to life? …or that our families are less screwed up? …or that our heartaches are less painful?” asks Matt. For the last 3 weeks, Matt King’s life has revolved around his wife, Elizabeth, who’s in a coma after a boating accident. Meanwhile, their 10-year-old daughter Scottie is acting out, and Matt can no longer leave Scottie’s issues on the back burner. But without Elizabeth, he doesn’t have a clue what to do about Scottie. “I’ve always been the back-up parent.”
Matt is a lawyer who’s a lot more comfortable with legal issues than family issues. Right now Matt is in the middle of a family and legal issue because he’s the sole trustee of the King family land trust, which… thanks to their native Hawaiian great-great-grandmother… owns a whole pristine mountain on Kauai. The thing about the trust is that by law, it dissolves in a few years. And if the cousins are going to sell the land, they… or rather, Matt… needs to make a decision about it soon. The family is divided, and many other Hawaiians have opinions, too. But as contentious as this is, the land issue doesn’t keep Matt awake at night… it’s his family that’s out of control. When older daughter Alexandra comes home from college, Matt hopes she’ll be able to help out. But her homecoming introduces new issues… and there’s very little time to get things resolved. Elizabeth isn’t going to recover, and the end is near.
So is this going to be a 2-hour sob-fest? Hardly. While the family would like to give Elizabeth a nice, loving sendoff, there are issues. This film isn’t easy to put into a pat category. While the end might be predictable, the journey isn’t. Every time you think you know where it’s going, it will surprise you. While it has its serious moments, it’s not a sad film. While it has funny moments, it’s not a comedy. It’s quite touching at times but it’s not melodramatic or manipulative. George Clooney, who is always excellent, gives a standout performance. This is a gentle understated film with lots of elements woven into the story line and lots of delightful surprises. The only thing that’s not understated is the beauty of Hawaii, which… as it turns out… is at the center of the narrative. Matt tells us that his “family is like the Hawaiian archipelago… separate islands that seem to be drifting apart.” Before they can stop the drift, they have to untangle the complex DNA that connects them.
4 popped kernels
A warm, humorous family drama told without sentimentality but with gorgeous scenery
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Mainstream wide release
Mood: Both upbeat and somber
Tempo: Cruises comfortably
Visual Style: Nicely varnished realism
Character Development: Engaging
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Pure entertainment & Thought provoking
