Review of The Descendants (2011) by James M — 22 Jun 2013

My main criticism of George Clooney is that he plays the same character in practically EVERY film that he's in & the enjoyment of the movie rests almost entirely on the quality of the screenplay.

The Descendants has an excellent screenplay, written by Alexander Payne whose movies always seem to be critically adored and who I view as a more dramatic version of Woody Allen.

The movie follows a lawyer (Clooney) whose world is thrown into turmoil when his wife is in a coma following an accident and he has to reconnect with his rebellious daughters while completing a business deal which could see his family earn millions from a real estate deal. The script finely balances tender dramatic moments with humour and the performances from the ensemble cast are quite terrific, especially Shailene Woodley as the eldest daughter. I think this is George Clooney's career best performance and director Payne brings a Hawaii to the screen which isn't all luaus, tropical cocktails & eternal paradise, but just another part of the world where people experience the same dramas as everyone else.