Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Alexander Payne, Jim Rash, Nat Faxon
Starring: George Clooney, Shaileene Woodley
Release Date: November 18, 2011
Length: 1 hour 55 minutes
Acclaimed director Alexander Payne returns to his chair after seven years from directing since his last hit Sideways, with an equally curious film, The Descendants, starring George Clooney, and young actress Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of An American Teenager).
Based on the novel by Kuai Hurt Hemmings, the film tells the story of Matt King (Clooney), a Honolulu lawyer, who has just found out his wife, who was recently in a boating accident, will never wake from her coma, and will be disconnected from life support shortly. Matt must break the news to everyone who knew her, including his two daughters, ten-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller) and seventeen-year-old Alex (Woodley). In addition, Matt is the sole trustee of 25,000 acres of untouched land on the island of Kaua’i. Matt and his cousins have already decided they will sell the land for development because the trust will expire in seven years, but after his wife’s accident, Matt reconsiders what he will do with the land, especially because his daughters want him to keep it. To top off all the stress he is under, Matt finds out from his older daughter that his wife was seeing someone else before she got into the accident. Through visiting people to let them know of Elizabeth’s circumstances and tracking down the guy who was sleeping with her, Matt, Scottie and Alex endure an unconventional grieving process that brings them closer in an unexpected way.
Payne, who co-wrote the script with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, creates the most emotionally moving film of the year that unexpectedly pulls you in so closely to the complexity of the characters and of their relationships with each other. The script radiates with an authentic real-life family that deals with grief and parenting in such a sincerely disoriented way. This is an exceptionally character-driven movie that relies highly on the layered writing, Payne’s unique direction, and most importantly, the ability of the unbelievably skilled cast.
This film shows Clooney simply at his very best in a role you have never seen him in before. Even his tacky Hawaiian short sleeve button-ups, his uncut graying hair, and his khaki shorts makes Clooney admirable on taking a step in a different direction. Aside from the wardrobe though, Clooney is incredible at playing an unattractive, uncool, pretty normal middle-aged guy. His performance as Matt shows perfectly how bewildered he is toward raising his girls, and trying to keep it together after each blow of pressure upon him. His co-star for most of the film is twenty-year-old Shailene Woodley, someone who, I stupidly regret, kept me from seeing this movie immediately because of her lead role on a TV show that I do not enjoy. Her performance as the troubled, honest, and incredibly smart Alex is simply extraordinary and shows off her natural talent on screen that needs to be seen by more than a teen audience. Her younger sister in the film is played by the enjoyable Amara Miller, who captivates the audience just as much when on screen. Judy Greer, unfortunately best known for playing the best friend in romantic comedies like 13 Going On 30 and 27 Dresses, also breaks through her stereotype and gives an excellent performance. Beau Bridges, a great actor we have not seen in a while is wonderful as one of Matt’s annoying cousins that wants to sell the land.
The last co-star of the film was the beautiful setting of Hawaii, which Payne continuously reinforces with Hawaiian music, and even unintentional geography and history insights into the land itself. Like Sideways, Payne again creates a unique off-the-wall movie that gradually and unexpectedly bowls you over emotionally. His original story combined with a phenomenal cast makes for a simply perfect movie and by far, makes The Descendants one of the best of this year.
Writers: Alexander Payne, Jim Rash, Nat Faxon
Starring: George Clooney, Shaileene Woodley
Release Date: November 18, 2011
Length: 1 hour 55 minutes
Acclaimed director Alexander Payne returns to his chair after seven years from directing since his last hit Sideways, with an equally curious film, The Descendants, starring George Clooney, and young actress Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of An American Teenager).
Based on the novel by Kuai Hurt Hemmings, the film tells the story of Matt King (Clooney), a Honolulu lawyer, who has just found out his wife, who was recently in a boating accident, will never wake from her coma, and will be disconnected from life support shortly. Matt must break the news to everyone who knew her, including his two daughters, ten-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller) and seventeen-year-old Alex (Woodley). In addition, Matt is the sole trustee of 25,000 acres of untouched land on the island of Kaua’i. Matt and his cousins have already decided they will sell the land for development because the trust will expire in seven years, but after his wife’s accident, Matt reconsiders what he will do with the land, especially because his daughters want him to keep it. To top off all the stress he is under, Matt finds out from his older daughter that his wife was seeing someone else before she got into the accident. Through visiting people to let them know of Elizabeth’s circumstances and tracking down the guy who was sleeping with her, Matt, Scottie and Alex endure an unconventional grieving process that brings them closer in an unexpected way.
Payne, who co-wrote the script with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, creates the most emotionally moving film of the year that unexpectedly pulls you in so closely to the complexity of the characters and of their relationships with each other. The script radiates with an authentic real-life family that deals with grief and parenting in such a sincerely disoriented way. This is an exceptionally character-driven movie that relies highly on the layered writing, Payne’s unique direction, and most importantly, the ability of the unbelievably skilled cast.
This film shows Clooney simply at his very best in a role you have never seen him in before. Even his tacky Hawaiian short sleeve button-ups, his uncut graying hair, and his khaki shorts makes Clooney admirable on taking a step in a different direction. Aside from the wardrobe though, Clooney is incredible at playing an unattractive, uncool, pretty normal middle-aged guy. His performance as Matt shows perfectly how bewildered he is toward raising his girls, and trying to keep it together after each blow of pressure upon him. His co-star for most of the film is twenty-year-old Shailene Woodley, someone who, I stupidly regret, kept me from seeing this movie immediately because of her lead role on a TV show that I do not enjoy. Her performance as the troubled, honest, and incredibly smart Alex is simply extraordinary and shows off her natural talent on screen that needs to be seen by more than a teen audience. Her younger sister in the film is played by the enjoyable Amara Miller, who captivates the audience just as much when on screen. Judy Greer, unfortunately best known for playing the best friend in romantic comedies like 13 Going On 30 and 27 Dresses, also breaks through her stereotype and gives an excellent performance. Beau Bridges, a great actor we have not seen in a while is wonderful as one of Matt’s annoying cousins that wants to sell the land.
The last co-star of the film was the beautiful setting of Hawaii, which Payne continuously reinforces with Hawaiian music, and even unintentional geography and history insights into the land itself. Like Sideways, Payne again creates a unique off-the-wall movie that gradually and unexpectedly bowls you over emotionally. His original story combined with a phenomenal cast makes for a simply perfect movie and by far, makes The Descendants one of the best of this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment