The Descendants

Lacks the perfection of Sideways, benefits from the charm of Clooney

I saw this film the day it opened at the Arclight on Sunset. It was a magical experience. One of the best theatrical experiences I've had in my day, alongside The Dark Knight and Grindhouse (though, I realize, these are vastly different films in genre, tone, and just about everything else). But it was a great experience in the theatre. I laughed harder than I had in a long time. I had a hangover. It pulled me right out of it. I loved every second.

To be clear, Alexander Payne is one of my top five currently working director/writers. He's never made a bad film; I've loved every film of his since Citizen Ruth, and in my opinion, each successive film has improved. Sideways was a cinematic masterpiece; a perfect screenplay.

The Descendants impressed me a great deal. I loved the acting. I LOVED it. George Clooney gave his best performance of his career, and I still believe that. Shailene Woodley gave a miraculous performance as his daughter. Supporting characters such as Robert Forster and Judy Greer held up their end. It was a phenomenon.

After I first saw it, I declared it to be the "best film I had seen in years." Since then, upon repeated viewings, my initial reaction has dropped. It is not a bad film. It is not a good film. It is still a great one. Just not the great film I initially claimed it to be.

I recently purchased the blu-ray copy of this film, and have viewed it twice more (actually four times more, I just don't want to seem like a bum who just watches movies all day. But I love rewatching films).

As Matt King, George Clooney opens up to us more than he ever has before. He's a complex character full of conflicting and ever-lasting emotions; dealing with the the eminent death of his wife, and other complications, which I shall not reveal for the sake of spoilers. The way he reacts to one of these "complications" is nothing short of perfection.

Flaws? I dislike the narration in the first half hour. I'm all in support of voice over and narration, but in this film, the same could have been achieved through visuals, without any voice over explanation. One good friend of mine criticized the "hamminess" and "over-acting" of Beau Bridges. I can't say I agree, but I don't necessarily disagree. At times, he seems to be attempting to upstage Clooney, and sorry Bridges, that ain't happening. Not in this film.

Other than that? Very few flaws. This is Payne's most accessible film to date (many could not relate to Sideways, or his previous films, though I love them all). Alexander Payne is a director of magnificent but subtle force; he directs his actors through emotions that we all experience in one time or another in our lives, and brings them to the screen in an entertaining fashion. Not only does Clooney embody the sadness, grief, and self-pity of Matt King, but he also exhibits a keen understanding of physical comedy. This isn't a depressing drama. It's a drama, with much comedy interlaced.

The highlights: George Clooney and Shailene Woodley's performances. The gorgeous cinematography (at times) by Phedon Papamichael, who never lets us forget we're in Hawaii. The direction by Payne, who is a master, at this point. I can't say I love this film as much as Sideways, but it is his most commercially successful film to date. And the screenplay by Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash (of the wonderful and hilarious TV series "Community") is one of the high points of the film. The screenplay is wonderful, nearly flawless, and well deserved of its Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

****