Directed by Alexander Payne
Written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash
Based on a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” revolves around a burdened but successful lawyer/estranged father, whose life appears to be falling to pieces at conveniently one of the most idealistic destinations on earth…the islands of Hawaii. The film begins immediately expelling all pre-conceived notions of Hawaii being a land of no troubles, constant hula dances, and Mai Tais from 9-5. It permits the audience to realize that their expectations of the film’s plot and characters may not be as assumed. The film speaks to these expectations that we all create on a daily basis and plays at our heartstrings by reminding us about the importance of family and treasuring the planet that we live on.
Payne, known for his smash hit “Sideways” (which I have not seen as I am not yet 40) transforms Kauai Hart Hemmings’ novel The Descendants” into a visually and emotionally stunning film filled with wit, sarcasm, and plenty of teenage angst. The story evolves around Matt King, played by a seemingly lackluster George Clooney, who tries to unite his family upon receiving the news that his comatose wife will never awaken. He must then spread the news of his wife’s upcoming death to the island, accompanied by his two young daughters, and make the decision whether or not to sell the 25 acres of island that his family conveniently inherited.
We meet the youngest daughter Scottie King, played by newcomer Amara Miller, a sassy and fearless young girl who eagerly follows the example of her older sister Alex King, played by a heartfelt Shailene Woodley. Amara is full of life and joy only haltered by her inexperience, yet filled with moments where the young actress catches herself off-guard and reveals her true emotional depth and spunk. Her elder sister and remodel Alex King is unforgettably introduced to us at a horribly awkward drunken encounter where Matt flies to the big island’s boarding school with Scottie, to bring Alex back home only to find her incredibly intoxicated. The moment is filled with awkward familiarity as my mother sitting next to me in the movie theater, sends a stern side-ways glance my way. Shailene’s eyes are red and her spirits soaring high as her father brings her back down to earth, explaining that he will bring her home to see their mother. This moment is unforgettable as a result of Shailene’s ability to take a possibly awkward and stereotypical line of dialogue and make it realistic and frighteningly human, the first glance at Shailene’s connection to this character.
Once Matt has Alex back home, he reveals to her the situation regarding her mother, leading to a shocking underwater crying sequence that simply takes your breath away. In return for Matt’s sharp blow to Alex, she reveals that her mother, Matt’s wife, was having an affair. This gets the ball rolling, allowing the gang, accompanied by an intrusive yet eye-opening stoner named Sid (Nick Krause) to spread the news on the island about the mother’s soon passing, allowing the community to say goodbye. Nick Krause is spot on in his depiction of this easily stereotypical character, inviting the audience to permit themselves to relate to the film on a unique, but awkward manner. When Sid laughs at something a grandmother with Alzheimer’s nonsensically proclaims, we realize that we are the Sid to this family. We are the third wheel that jumps on board for the ride, experiencing this emotional journey with these unforgettable characters.
The film is comically off-balance leaving the audience laughing in situations when they expect grave seriousness. Its charm allows the audience to let down their guard, and relate to the film in their own unique ways. Its only flaw is an almost “on the nose” dialogue drowning the audience with exposition that leaves them feeling spoon-fed. It is a big red flag when the characters say, “why not take a trip down memory lane” followed by a series of beach montages exposing the island’s significance to them. By repeating information that may be new to the audience, but irrelevant in the dialogue, the audience takes a step back and is reminded that they are watching a movie. This surprisingly basic film mistake is later remedied by one of the culminating scenes where Clooney seems to acknowledge the film’s sometimes hyped-up and slightly over-dramatic dialogue by interrupting one of the characters in a dramatic crying monologue, and telling her to “cool it.”
This is turning out to be the year of the Indies with films like “Melancholia” and “Like Crazy” exceeding big pictures like “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” in the box office department. While “The Descendants’” plot is filled with a surplus of exposition, its dialogue and loveable characters only entrance and pull you in to the heart of the story. Following the example of Shailene, a seasoned actress already a Series-Regular on the vastly popular ABC hit “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” who quit her job as a cashier at Abercrombie to do the film, we as film watchers must allow ourselves to expect the unexpected and jump into unknown territory. If one can flow down this tropical lazy river and permit ourselves to be jolted at points and heartbroken at others, one will finish feeling triumphant that they have just held a mirror up to life and maybe even learned a thing or two along the way.
