The Descendants

George Clooney stars as the father of two children who has to cope when his wife goes into a coma after a water sports accident. He has the added burden of an important decision regarding his ancestor’s estate and discovers that his wife was engaged in an affair before her accident.

Filmed and set in Hawaii, the film looks beautiful. That sounds like an easy task considering where it is set, but a lot of the film is set in the built up areas of the archipelago which are rarely seen in films. Not everything is pristine which is nice to see. There are leaves on the driveway and cracks in the walls. When we do see the natural beauty of Hawaii, it is with good reason and not over done. This isn’t a film about Hawaii’s beauty but about a families struggle while living in it.

Family trouble

The story is interesting but unfortunately as so often is the case, too much of it was given away in the trailer. There were very few surprises and generally you already knew where it was heading. The dialogue is witty though which helps with the lack of suspense.  

George Clooney is very good and probably deserves the nominations and awards he has received for his performance. The rest of the cast are also admirable. Clooney’s daughters, played by Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller are both excellent as a rebellious teen and inappropriate ten year old respectively. Woodley’s boyfriend, played by Nick Krause, while remaining annoying throughout, becomes more likable as the film progresses.

I find it difficult to talk about what I liked about the film. The ending was excellent and quite sad but I found myself bored at times and it is far from perfect.

7/10