Set
in beautiful Hawaii (a destination Adam Sandler has made his second
movie based home) The
Descendants is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic
journey for Matt
King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls,
who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his
wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki.
The event
leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles
with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian
royalty and missionaries.
Alexander Payne has a knack for creating
thoughtful, dramatic and unique vehicles for well established
stars.
Whether it's the simple muttering of "Dear Endugu"
from Nicholson in About
Schmidt or Clooney looking into the Hawaiian sun with a
broken heart in The
Descendants - he knows really knows how to make the most
of what his cast have on offer.
Clooney,
without question, delivers an excellent performance.
With the simplest
and most subtle of facial movements, the most desirable man on the
planet somehow manages to encapsulate the heartbreak, anger and fear
which is thrust upon his character.
That said, the script is quite basic, aiming for some very easy heart
string targets. In fact, had Growing
Pains' Kirk Cameron been cast instead of Clooney, The Descendants is
only one keyboard synthisised musical score off from being a
made-for-TV movie.
Don't
get me wrong - The
Descendants works on many levels, is thoroughly
enjoyable
and engrossing (thanks to Clooney's unmistakable on screen charisma and
vulnerability) and will most certainly squeeze a tear or two out of
it's audience.
However, when it comes to the "Film Of The Year" tags that were thrown
about at Oscar time...
prepare to be underwhelmed.
DVD & Blu Ray Special Features
Everybody Loves George
Working with Alexander
Hawaiian Style
Deleted Scenes with introductions by the
director
Everybody Loves George
Working with Alexander
The Real Descendants
Hawaiian Style
Casting
Working with Water
Music Videos (Will I Ever See You Again,
Postcards from Paradise, Honolulu's Whisper)
Waiting for the Light
The World Parade - Hawaii (Silent Film)
A Conversation with George Clooney and
Alexander Payne
