Movie #538........................."The Descendants"

Movie #538 "The Descendants" like all other Payne films (About Schmidt, Sideways to name two) has the feel of an indie film ---- it's quirky, has scenes that don't always fit neatly into the puzzle, awkward, funny/sad moments all at the same time, some unanswered questions (we thought there were several of those here) and takes extra special actors (like nicholson and Paul Giamatti) to pull off the whole thing. There's a lot good about the film, but you need to know it is a sad, uncomfortable picture through most of it ----- everyone is trying to deal with the impending death of this mother of two, wife of George Clooney. That's not giving anything away, because you can tell that from the trailer. But what you can't tell is the realness of the situations presented here -------it's a very entertaining film because it is so darn universal in the way it handles deception, kids, grief, family quibbling, family values, etc. I recommend it, but with reservations. I don't think this is one of the best films of the year, (and definitely not the best Clooney film he's done), but I did find it entertaining, and props to Judy Greer, who usually plays the smart aleck friend of someone like Jennifer Anniston or Sandra Bullock, but plays a very strong secondary character here ---- very supportive and it's good to see her elevated to a secondary lead with importance. One more thing. This film stands apart for its location (at least to me). It takes place in Hawaii, and island hops from Oahu to Kuwaii and the big island, and that was most enjoyable to watch.






Rate 4 out of 5 stars
The Descendants
(2011) R
When his wife is killed in a Waikiki boating accident, distant father Matt King (George Clooney) begins an iffy journey to repair his fractured relationship with his two daughters. But he's also trying to decide whether to let go of some valuable family real estate. Judy Greer, Beau Bridges and Matthew Lillard co-star in this tragic-comic tale of legacy and unexpected loss based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.
Genre:Dramas, Dramas based on a book, Dramas based on contemporary literature