Health & Fitness
The Descendants: The Other Side of Hawaii
George Clooney shines in this drama about a father burdened with his wife's illness and pressure to sell his ancestral land.
This is not the Hawaii I remember from when I went there.
The Descendants, directed by Alexander Payne, follows Matt King played by George Clooney, as he tries to connect with his daughters, deal with his wife who is in a coma after a boating accident, and decide whether or not to sell his inherited land.
The movie takes place on different islands of Hawaii, which is more of a character than a pretty set piece in The Descendants.
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The Descendants is filled with great performances, but George Clooney shines out. Clooney's portrayal as a father going through an extremely difficult time is spot on. As always, his role seems to come off with supreme ease.
Clooney never seems to be trying too hard, which adds to his performance. It always seems like he is balancing two emotions at once, because of the multiple conflicts he is facing. Look out for George Clooney's name to be popping up during award season. Also good in the movie is Shailene Woodley, who plays Matt King's estranged daughter.
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The Descendants is funny, but it is not laugh out loud funny, just chuckle funny. There is only one scene I recall that I really laughed out loud. However, it's not like the movie really needed to be that funny; the drama was enough to carry it.
While other people in theater were getting emotional, The Descendants never really hit me. I saw that it affected other people in the theater, but I just did not feel it.
I was annoyed by the repeated deus ex machina, things kept popping up out of nowhere, and solved problems that could have been fleshed out better. Matt King would be looking for someone, and he would show up right in his face. When things like this happens, I see it as lazy on the writers' part.
If you liked director Alexander Payne's previous work Sideways, you will most likely enjoy The Descendants. While The Descendants isn't as emotional as it could have been, and could have been written a little smarter, it is still a nicely done dramedy, bolstered by a great central performance by George Clooney.
