There's a scene where George Clooney learns that his wife(who is in a state of permanent coma) has cheated on him. Clooney struggles to put on his sneakers and runs off to a friend's house to enquire. That one scene can tell you what the movie is about. It is about how we tend to take our relations for granted. The movie poses a pertinent question over how sometimes we only react to our close ones when they are not with us.
The Descendants directed by Alexander Payne is a movie that will pin you to your seats and pinch your hearts. It pores into you and makes you ask , how would you respond to situations when a daughter of age 10 curses you and a daughter of 17 behaves with a eerie sense of responsibility. George Clooney as Matt King forces yours sympathies to him. All the great actor we know him , he produces scenes of magnificence .
In the story, Matt King is a trustee of a huge tract of land in Hawaii which his cousins want to encash on for a multi-million deal. And then the indifferent husband and awkward father has to deal with the state of his wife. Life is a big riddle and director Payne relishes it. Painting the screen with subtle emotions and superb performances by leads , The Descendants draws you into its potrayal of messy morals.
Shailene Woodly as Alex is terrific in the way she has to deal with the scorn in her heart and the forced calm. Amara Millier as Scottie with an ugly mouth and a strong character makes you laugh , cry and be angry all at the same time. Using irony and emotions , Descendants classifies itself as a tragic - comedy , yes irony and complete irony.
The Descendants is a terrific watch. Watch it and you'll know how you can manage to smile and have a lump in the throat all at the same time and for the right reasons.
