The Descendants - (November 16, 2011): R
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Opening Weekend Box Office: #10 with $1,190,096 (limited release)
Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: 12,434,018
Gross Revenue: $12,434,018
Production Budget: N/A
Director: Alexander Payne
After October’s surprisingly strong The Ides of March, in which he played a dualistic Presidential candidate, George Clooney certainly caught the attention of the Academy members who would vote for Best Supporting Actor, but with The Descendants, many analysts and critics had claimed that he had also undeniably thrown his hat into the ring for Best Actor. Now, aside from the humorous trailer that showed Clooney running frantically in a pair of flip-flops, there was very little information released concerning The Descendants. In terms of supporting cast, young Shailene Woodley (who would be playing Clooney’s troubled daughter) was best known for her work in ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager, so there was no guarantee that she would be able to hold her own against a Hollywood A-lister of George Clooney’s caliber. Now, my faith in Clooney plummeted after last year’s The American, but director Alexander Payne was no stranger to critically-strong films, such as 2002’s About Schmidt and 2004’s Sideways, so I was curious to see what exactly was generating so much positive buzz. Because of the film’s limited release, I knew that Fox Searchlight’s newest independent sweetheart wasn’t going to break any box office records, but it certainly seemed poised to continue the reputation of strong entries during the always-busy Holiday Movie Season, so I was sold.
Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants opens with wealthy lawyer Matt King (George Clooney) caring for his comatose wife, Elizabeth, who was injured in a boating accident. Though the relationship was strained, Matt still cares deeply for his wife, and his grief is only further complicated by the family and business dynamics vying for his attention. As the descendant of Hawaiian royalty and white missionaries, Matt is the sole trustee of 25,000 acres of untouched Hawaiian land, and he is accepting bids for the sale of the land that would make him and his numerous cousins insanely wealthy; as such, he is being pressured from many different sides to make a decision soon. As the “understudy parent” Matt is also struggling to care for and relate to his daughters, 10-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller) and 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley)…when it is revealed that Elizabeth will not awake from her coma and that she is to be taken off life support, Matt must find a way to break to the news to his daughters and the rest of his family and friends. When Alex displays uncharacteristic resentment towards her mother, she reveals to Matt that Elizabeth was cheating on him, having an affair with local real-estate agent, Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard). Stung by betrayal and filled with anger, Matt and his daughters decide to seek-out and confront Speer, in the process becoming closer and learning to deal with the unprecedented tragedy that they are all facing.
Though there are numerous praiseworthy elements to this simple and heartfelt film, easily the strongest aspect of The Descendants is the acting showcased on all sides. It is safe to say, that after The Descendants, my faith in George Clooney’s acting ability has been fully restored, and he is sure to be an early favorite for Best Actor once Oscar season rolls around. There is an undeniable reality to Clooney’s betrayal of the conflicted husband and inexperienced father, which expertly blends dry humor, righteous anger, and colossal grief…whether it is watching Clooney confront his wife’s friends for information on the affair, collapse under the weight of supporting his daughters and breaking the news to extended family, or bid a final farewell to his wife, all these moments are genuine, grounded, and inspiring. The other huge surprise is young Shailene Woodley, who demonstrates a snarky cynicism and numb-yet-indignant grief that is sure to grab the attention of many filmmakers, surely paving the way for a long and successful career in Hollywood. Now, normally I take the opportunity to balance my reviews by pointing out a few shortcomings, but they seem to be completely absent from The Descendants, which only offers more and more elements worthy of accolade.
Alongside phenomenally strong acting, The Descendants also benefits from a strong and clever script, which is brought to life with expert pacing, unconventional cinematography, and brilliant directing. Given that the film is about taking a comatose wife and mother off of life support while her family struggles with revelations concerning her infidelity, it is surprising that there would be any room for humor, but The Descendants benefits from a surprising pacing that switches seamlessly from genuine laughs to heartbreaking pathos. The gravity of the drama itself is also enhanced through clever and innovative camera-work, and two scenes in particular stand-out: in the first, Alex learns of her mother’s prognosis and descends underwater, where she begins crying; in the second, as the King family prepares to spread Elizabeth’s ashes, they place leis in the water, and the camera shifts underwater to capture the sunlight shining through. With scenes like these, the emotion and reality of the film hits a fever pitch, tugging at the heart strings so strongly that sheer empathy is sure to have audiences tearing up. With all of these elements combined, The Descendants stands as a smart, entertaining, and thoroughly enjoyable film that should not be missed by anyone.
From a box office perspective, the modest opening and ticket sales connected to The Descendents is anything but surprising considering the film’s limited opening, but given the overall high quality, such performance is still disappointing. Even though exact production budget numbers are currently unavailable, I doubt that the costs of this independent film are anything to lose sleep over, especially after over $12 million has already been generated. I can only hope that Fox Searchlight makes the decision to bring the film to more theaters…following the precedent of other Best Picture contenders that no one ever seems to see, the film may have screened at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, but mass audiences deserve to see the film everywhere. Suffice it so say, audience interest in The Descendants will undoubtedly increase once Oscar Season hits and moviegoers won’t be able to watch television without seeing some kind of praise geared towards to George Clooney. In the end, whether you are a casual fan of Clooney or someone looking for something different at the theater, The Descendants has firmly cemented its status as an absolute must-see.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
