"The Descendants" Review

Long time no type I guess. Sorry to all the loyal readers out there but I've been pretty busy with school lately. It's crunch time so there have been essays due and tests to study for and that won't be letting up for another week or so. Over my Thanksgiving break I managed to schedule in something I actually wanted to do. Sunday night, before getting back to the grind, Turbo and I went and saw The Descendants. It's a new film by Sideways director, Alexander Payne, starring George Clooney. The story is set in Hawaii where Matt King (Clooney) has been burdened with the responsibility of caring for his children alone after his wife is in a boating accident and falls into a coma. In the movie the doctors reveal that she won't be waking up and King has to start informing his family and friends, while guiding his children through the challenges that come with such a tragedy. In addition to this, he finds his wife was cheating on him (it's in the trailer so I don't think that's a spoiler) and he takes it upon himself to find out as much as he can about his wife's lover.

Alexander Payne said in a recent interview that he finds the setting of a story to be just as important as the story itself. The fact that The Descendants takes place in Hawaii means a lot. For one, it means we get plenty of shots of the beautiful archipelago. The King family are the descendants of King Kamehameha himself. In the film, Matt and his cousins are trying to decide what to do with all of their land. Matt, being the sole trustee, has final say on what is to be done with the land. Matt King's independent wealth along with his connections take us from island to island to see the crystal clear beaches, miles of sandy coastline, and green jungles and grasses (jungles and grasses that his cousins propose they sell to hotel builders). The setting also means we get a look at a life that many of us probably don't consider. If someone tells you they're from Salt Lake City or Seattle, you probably just assume it's shitty there like it is wherever you live. But if someone says they're from Hawaii, we get this idea of some amazing exotic life where everyone's kicking back 24/7. The movie immediately attacks this notion and never lets up. They've got all the same problems over there as we do here in the mainland. They need lawyers and real estate agents. They have in-laws who hate them and annoying neighbors. The only difference is that they can usually count on the weather being nice. The score in the film is another huge factor in allowing the setting to come to life. Hawaiian music is heard all over the place. At the end of the credits we couldn't even pronounce the names of the majority of pieces. I'm just glad no one who spoke traditional Hawaiian was there to hear us butchering their language.

Matt's big surface problem throughout the movie is that he doesn't know how to deal with his two daughters, Scottie (10-years-old) and Alexandra (17). He refers to himself as the "backup" parent in the movie. When Scottie is first introduced, she's in trouble for showing her classmates disturbing pictures of her comatose mother in school. Alex is away at a private school originally and when Matt and Scottie go to pick her up on a whim, she's out golfing drunk with a friend. It suffices to say, there's a lot on Matt's plate as he begins the "single parent" era of his life. The characters allude to a dark past for Alex but she seems to be a bit more on the ball now. Matt counts on her to accompany him to break the bad news to their relatives. She's also his main support system in finding out that his wife was unfaithful to him. Shailene Woodley (pictured above) is spectacular as Alexandra. I don't watch a lot of The Secret Life of the American Teenager so I had never heard of her before but she really impressed me. I wouldn't be surprised if she got some recognition from the Academy; at least for a supporting role. Judy Greer (Arrested Development, Archer) and Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby-Doo) contribute solid performances. Honestly, everyone does a great job pulling together for believable interactions. It's so easy to rely on someone like George Clooney to carry a film but Payne allowed him to work without the entire project living or dying by his presence. This was, without a doubt, the right way to go.

Sharp dialogue, dense characters, genuine laughs, and some heartfelt exchanges are all wrapped up into one intriguing narrative. The execution is perfect even if no one aspect or scene jumps out as absolutely fantastic or completely unexpected. I don't think you can go wrong with spending your cash on The Descendants. If you're looking for something to watch this holiday season that isn't geared towards children, I suggest you look this up. I'm giving The Descendants 5 Dancing Hula Dolls. Chyeah!