VERDICT: Painfully funny and poignantly moving, The Descendants is a quiet and tropical work of art, with George Clooney never failing in character.
So this is a new little series I'm going to start here on this blog. Every so often, I'm going to review a movie that deserves to be rented/bought/watched illegally (kidding!) if the theater's output is unsatisfying or inconvenient. No one sees every movie that comes out every year, right? But there are so, so many that deserve your time and attention. Thus, this little series of mine is born.
OTHER CAST MEMBERS: Nick Krause, Patricia Hastie, Beau Bridges
I scan Rotten Tomatoes pretty regularly for recommendations on what movies they think I would like based on the movie preferences I have expressed on their website. The Descendants was one I came across in this way. I hadn't heard very much about it; I didn't follow awards shows for 2011/2012 nearly as much as I've been this year. It wasn't a huge winner but it was a decent-sized nominee at the Oscars and the Golden Globes. So, I figured, it can't be that bad.
You might find yourself deeply moved by The Descendants.
Most of the plot is the stuff soap operas usually tend to derive from, except Alexander Payne chooses to tackle the situations with honesty and grace. We've all seen the "somebody's in the hospital" type of story where everyone's life falls apart while that someone is in the hospital and then they magically become closer after that death or whatever happens and then bittersweet ending and then credits. And I'm not saying that kind of thing doesn't happen every day. It sure does. But what I admire about Payne's work here is that he takes the soapy stuff out of it and gives it the weight and eloquence it deserves. He rather brilliantly captures the emotions surrounding a dying loved one without passing them off as a saint. When someone is dying, we don't want to look at them in a negative way. We don't want to feel like their life was a waste or a shame. Death is the point in which all humans are equal, so admitting that the dying person has faults feels like we are bashing on humanity as they die. And that feels uncomfortable and disrespectful. Mrs. Elizabeth King was far from saintly, as we learn throughout the story, and we watch as Matt and Alexandra struggle with that harsh truth. And at no point does Payne assert what we should believe about any one of these people. He does not condescend to his audience. He tells it like it is. That kind of honesty really resonates with people, I think, which is one of the reasons this film can be identified as moving. It felt much more realistic, and thus touched on levels that we do connect with deep down, whether or not we'd like to admit it.
I knew George Clooney would be amazing. That's a given. He's George freakin' Clooney. But Shailene Woodley has literally come out of nowhere in recent years and she rocked this role. Kudos.
Image Source: The Moving Arts
It 's definitely a sad movie, given the subject matter, but it isn't a giant sobfest. There's a theme of poignant, albeit painful, humor that is present through most of the film. It keeps your attention because it's clever humor that doesn't resort to vulgarity (despite colorful language here and there), and that feels more respectful towards the audience. It is to the credit of all great filmmakers when things can be funny without also being disgusting. That says to the audience that they can handle smarter humor.
What I also loved was the unique dynamic between Matt and Alexandra. It reminds me of my relationship with my own father (except I am much less foul-mouthed), in that we are also friends as well as family. At several points in the journey do they connect, a lot of times over their frustration and anger with Elizabeth and their mutual want to protect Scottie's innocence for as long as they can before they have to tell her that her mother is going to die. They both carry on their secret operation of finding the man Elizabeth had an affair with before her accident behind the backs of everyone in their family, including Scottie. At any given point in time Matt and Alexandra have a huge weight on their shoulders. But they carry it because it is important.
Another painfully funny scene here - these two play off each other extremely well.
Image Source: The Movie Waffler
The supporting cast only adds to the chaos that poor Matt has to handle; Elizabeth's father, who refused to see Elizabeth as anything else but a perfect girl who deserved more in her life. It pains you a little to hear his tirades at Matt about how she was "a faithful and devoted wife," especially when you know now that this is far from the truth. Alexander Payne captures the concept of lying for the sake of painful truth in a way that really moved me; when Elizabeth's father says Elizabeth deserved better, Matt says quietly "You're right, she deserved better." You can tell that the real story is fighting to burst from him, but for the sake of Elizabeth's father already hurting a lot, he can't bring himself to make it worse. So then when Alexandra and her friend Sid (a pretty minor comic relief character, for the most part) jump up and defend Matt, you feel a sense of satisfaction, because you care about Matt so much by this point that you kind of hate Elizabeth's father for relentlessly ragging on him about everything he is doing wrong.
Which brings me to Matt's character. It's really to George Clooney's credit that this character was pulled off so well. All of the acting in this movie was spectacular, but Clooney really steals the show. I expect he's somewhat used to doing this by now, but I was continually impressed by how much he was able to make me feel just in his facial expressions and voice. And honestly, you so believe the character. He is doing the best he can under an entire world of weight on his shoulders. A feeling that I'm sure many adults can relate to.
But seriously, George Clooney.
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If you are curious about a good drama film to rent/buy/watch illegally (again, kidding), then I highly recommend this one. Watch it when you're in a mellow mood, for sure. But do watch it.
RATING: R for language including some sexual references
GRADE: A
Since it's getting really tedious to copy down every award all of my reviewed films are honored for, I will provide a link so you can look for yourself. I would continue to type them all out myself, but I am in college and have limited time. Thank you for your patience.
The Descendants (Trailer)
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