Movie Review - The Descendants

Attended the movie preview of The Descendants.

On the eve of a big land deal, in which Matt King (George Clooney) is the trustee, his wife has a boating accident, that puts her in a coma. Essentially brain-dead, she's going to be taken off life-support, and before she dies, Matt wants his two daughters (Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller) to make peace with their mother. However, it turns out that Matt has a peace of his own to make, when he discovers his wife has been carrying on a long-term affair.

Director Alexander Payne is a master story teller. He understands that we are not perfect. His characters go through painful and tragic journeys to become better people.

The film is beautifully shot in the picturesque islands of Hawaii. Matched with very soothing music in the background playing. I am so going to Hawaii after seeing this film cause it is too beautiful!

It's probably one of the best performance I've seen from George Clooney. Clooney’s performance is so compelling in ‘The Descendants.’ He moves through feelings of love, frustration, anger, and happiness so effortlessly. Throughout the show, it left me with those emotions too. We want him to get closer to his daughters. We want him to make the right decision about the land. We want him to overcome these challenges in his life to be happy again. And that’s why I enjoyed this film. I recommend everybody to see!

But if you are the kind of audience who do not like slow paced films, I'm sure you won't fancy this type of movie.

Movie Rating: 4.5/5
Rating: NC16 - Some Coarse Language and Sexual References
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Synopsis:
From Alexander Payne, the creator of the Oscar®-winning SIDEWAYS, THE DESCENDANTS is set in Hawaii and follows the unpredictable journey of an American family at a crossroads. Matt King (George Clooney), a husband and father of two girls, must re-examine his past and navigate his future when his wife is in a boating accident off Waikiki. He awkwardly attempts to repair his relationship with his daughters - 10 year-old precocious Scottie (Amara Miller) and rebellious 17 year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) - while wrestling with a decision to sell his family’s land. Handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries, the Kings own some of the last priceless virgin parcels of tropical beach in the islands.

When Alexandra drops the bombshell that her mother was in the midst of a romantic fling at the time of the accident, Matt has to take a whole new look at his life, not to mention his legacy, during a week of momentous decisions. With his girls in tow, he embarks on a haphazard search for his wife’s lover. Along the way, in encounters alternately funny, troublesome and transcendent, he realizes he’s finally on course toward rebuilding his life and family.