I finally got around to watching
The Descendants over the weekend, and it was about exactly what I expected. Alexander Payne has pretty well established himself as a writer and director who can deal with characters in very real, very devastating situations in a way that is both compelling and cathartic. Make George Clooney one of those characters and his naturalistic acting style and old-school Hollywood star power nearly guarantee that the film will be good. The only question I really had going in was "will it be great?" I'm not quite sure it reaches that high, but given that I haven't been enamored with this year's mainstream movie crop, I'd say
The Descendants is definitely one of the year's best.
Matt King has a lot going on in his life. His wife has recently had a boating accident and has little hope of survival. On top of this tragedy, as the manager of the family trust, it is up to him to make a decision about a stretch of land passed down through the family line from the time of King Kamehameha. Sell of the land could make his cousin's rich and him even richer, but there is disagreement among the cousins about whether to sell and who to sell to. He also has two troubled daughters to deal with, a task he has clearly always left up to his wife. As if all this isn't enough, his oldest daughter reveals to him early in the film that she caught his wife, her mother engaged in an affair. It is this stew of tragedy and personal loss that provides the impetus for self-realization and growth that is central to the film. In lesser hands, this could easily have devolved into a tear-jerking pity-fest, but Payne, Clooney and the supporting cast handle the emotions and conflicts perfectly, resulting in a film that is enjoyable in spite of its inherent sorrow.
Most of that joy comes from watching Clooney work his magic. I know he often gets accused of having limited range and, to be honest, this performance isn't much different than the one he put in for
Up in the Air. He seems to choose roles that fit a certain persona, but there have always been actors that do that, and I'm not sure it is fair to mark an actor down for that, especially when, like Clooney, they are always perfect within that framework. And Clooney isn't alone here, the supporting cast give great performances right down the line.
The breakout star, for me, and the linchpin to King's growth is Shailene Woodley playing King's troubled older daughter. She holds her own in some meaty scenes with Clooney, showing great range and an ease on screen that makes me want to see more of her. Also astounding is the always-reliable Robert Forrester as the father of King's wife. His scene in the hospital is emotionally devastating. Even Matthew Lillard (yep, Shaggy himself) as the film's "bad guy" is memorable.
Payne keeps everything moving along at a good pace and does a good job bringing in a bit of humor to lighten what is clearly heavy material. Still, it all comes down to the likable nature of Clooney and his family. I enjoyed the time I spent with them and in the theater. In a year with very little in the way of truly great cinema, that is enough for me to recommend the film.
9/10
