Movie Review: The Descendants

Directed by award-winning Alexander Payne, The Descendants conveys the love and anger of a lawyer, Matt King (George Clooney), who makes gruelling efforts to connect with his two daughters – the mischievious10-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller) and the rebellious 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) – while battling to cope with his wife’s unconsciousness from a boating accident. His poor relationship with his wife and daughters were resulted from his engrossed commitment to his job, and he later found out about his wife’s extramarital affair, which led to an intense zeal to hunting down her fling.

As the descendants of a plot of land, handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries, the livelihoods of his cousins lie in the hands of Matt, who holds the stringent decision of churning an empty plot of land into a massive income, with a mere signature on the deed.

Along with tear inducing scenes and heart-wrenching moments, together with a fair share of giggle triggering humour, a medley of emotions is experienced within a touching story.

Watch how he gets back on his feet from the devastating crisis, facing the responsibilities of a father and importance of his role in his children’s upbringing and mending his relationship with his daughters.
George Clooney’s performance in this film is outstanding, with emotions that one can relate to, and tears that are hard to fake.

Apart from a touching storyline one can empathise with, a stunning panoramic view of the Hawaiian tropical beach will take your breath away. You get to travel virtually around Hawaii, gaining a deeper hindsight on how the islands are developed into villas and houses, bearing minimal resemblance to a typically stereotyped laidback vibe with islanders sipping cocktails and Hula-dancing all day long. The reality is that Hawaii isn’t immune to stress; and issues encountered in bustling cities are no less evident in a retreating island as such.

Watch the trailer here:

Thanks Omy for the invitation to the preview screening!