In the broad drama genre of film, perhaps the most potent is the kind that deals with family. It can hit close to home, because it encourages the viewer to evaluate the dynamics of their own family, and how they relate to what's being played out in front of them. Whether a family is facing everyday situations or life-altering events, they count on their togetherness and collective strength to make a gift out of each passing day with one another. After all, family is what keeps us going when we think we can't go any further.
In Alexander Payne's poignant family drama, The Descendants, based on the novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings, Matt King (George Clooney) is faced with an unanticipated challenge that takes a considerable toll on his family. With a witty and emotionally-charged script, outstanding acting across the board and a realistic look at what it means to be a family, this film beautifully expresses the widely-known truth of how important it is to be with those you cherish in a time of upheaval.
Matt King is a lawyer living in Honolulu and is in charge of a trust that controls 25,000 acres on the island of Kaua'i. With the trust set to expire in seven years, Matt has to start looking for a buyer. Before his family can go any further with the arrangements, Matt receives the devastating news that his wife was in a boating accident that has placed her in a coma. Upon learning this, he and his 10-year-old daughter Scottie (Amara Miller) go to take his 17-year-old daughter Alex (Shailene Woodley) out of a rehab/boarding school, hoping for emotional support from both of his daughters. He doesn't have entirely good relationships with his daughters, and accepts the fact that he's just the "back-up parent." Alex soon reveals to her father that his wife had been cheating on him before the accident, but can't quite remember with whom. Once Matt finds out who he is and that he's vacationing in Kaua'i, he and his daughters travel there to confront him. During this, Matt will try to reconnect with his daughters, in the hopes of establishing strong family bonds in the midst of this ordeal.
George Clooney is transcendent as a man who suddenly has the weight of the world thrown on his shoulders. As a lawyer, he has to deal with the land trust. As a husband, he has to deal with a cheating wife in coma. As a father, he has to fulfill both parenting roles. In Matt's time of crisis, you feel so pulled in by him, because you want him to regain the family ties that he needs now more than ever. His character's need for family is something viewers can relate to. Clooney's character makes admirable efforts to make sure his oldest daughter understands the situation, and that his youngest daughter knows as little as possible to keep her from worrying. He is a nurturing father who wants nothing more than to put the lives of him and his family back in order, and knows what's best for his children.
Shailene Woodley gives a star-making performance as Clooney's rebellious teenage daughter. We're first introduced to her when she and a friend are engaging in late night antics on their school's campus. Afterwards, we see how the mother's boating accident acts as a catalyst that influences her to mature and become the dependable daughter that her father needs during this unexpected hurdle. She has the right amount of insubordinate teenage attitudes to help us sympathize with what she is going through, and never comes off as a brat.
Matthew Lillard's character as the mother's secret and regretful boyfriend, Brian Speer, isn't the stereotypical jerk that you would suspect. Rather, he's honest and sincere to the point where a trace of likability appears. Judy Greer leaves a splendid impression as Speer's chipper and unsuspecting wife. Amara Miller, as Matt King's too-smart-for-her-own-good youngest daughter, says some things that are hilariously not age-appropriate. Robert Forster gives an emotional performance as Matt's stern father-in-law who grieves over his daughter's comatose state and continuously places the blame on Matt.
The screenplay, by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, firmly blends the drama and sense of togetherness that goes into a family. From the lack of connection between a father and his daughters, to the reconstruction of trust and respect they have for him, it emits a newfound appreciation they have for the life they share with each other. Payne's direction allows for the cast to act with the ideal amount of feeling without it becoming overly sentimental or a beggar for an audience's emotional response. The film helps us think about how we get along with our own loved ones and how we react to unusual circumstances within our lives. In the end, The Descendants is as relatable to us as our own relatives.
Final grade: A
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