Genre: Comedy/Drama‎‎

Director: Alexander Payne

Cast: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause and  BeauBridges

It is a tale of grief, letting go and moving on. A tale of the perpetuity of a family heirloom. The Descendants is an adaptation of a novel by the same title that focuses on the life of Matt King, a grieving husband and father of two daughters.  His elder daughter, Alex, 17, is angry at her mother, whereas his younger daughter, Scotty, 10, mischievously reacts to her mother’s condition. Matt’s wife, Elizabeth, is a dying comatose after a boating accident.

Matt, played by George Clooney, also inherited the sole responsibility as a trustee to prime virgin Hawaiian land, belonging to him and other descendants of the King clan. His inheritance exposes the truth about his wife’s extramarital affair, which became knowledge through Alex. While preparing family and friends to bid their goodbyes, a vulnerable Matt has also to deal with a pending sale of the King clan sprawling estate on one of the Hawaiian Islands.

Dare I say that the Hawaiian lifestyle and fatherhood definitely brings out the best in Clooney. As well as the manner in which he deals with preserving his wife’s good name, restoring the value in his family, and confronting his wife’s lover. It is a role that comes with strides, from being “a backup parent”, to being a bold primary support for his daughter. While he might not have his usual charms, Clooney brings a vulnerability that you quickly come to appreciate -- that in which he has to examine himself as a person, to these many characters around him.

Daughter Alex and best friend Sid -- played by Shailene Woodley and Nick Krause, respectively -- provide good support in giving Matt the encouragement he needs. Stoner Sid is your typical average Hawaiian bum, but whose simplicity adds much appreciated wisdom between the scenes. Beau Bridges plays Cousin Hugh -- one determined to cash in on the inherited property -- while Robert Forster plays dying Elizabeth’s father, who keeps harping at Matt for not being good enough for his daughter, unknowing of the affair that she has had.

Alexander Payne delivered a well crafted screenplay, and also highlighted plenty of the beautiful scenery of the Hawaiian Islands. One thought still lingers for me though, what is the perpetuity of family and its inheritance?

Do be cautioned on inappropriate use of language and a few scenes that make sexual references within this movie, which is why it has been rated R. I do recommend men to add this to your movie watch lists, as it proves the notion that men cannot be expressive or emotionally controlled, wrong. – by Nevina Kumaresan

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

Show/Hide comment form

Title
Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Email
Website
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (Registered users only) I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.
	Add Comment