Not counting the anthology Paris je t’aimes, it has been more than seven years since Alexander Payne delivered the brilliantly bittersweet comedy Sideways. He has been doing other things, just not directing a feature film. I am glad to say that Payne’s new feature, The Descendants, doesn’t betray my anticipation and is a beautiful examination of grief, regret and coming to terms with your own mistakes.
That doesn’t sound very uplifting, but The Descendants will surprise you. Just like in Sideways, Payne manages to perfectly mix hard hitting drama with moments of comic relief, nothing slapsticky, it’s much more subtle than that. Clooney plays a bumbling father who has been more invested in his work as a lawyer and sole trustee of a piece of land, than in his family. When his wife gets into an accident and slips into a coma he must take care of his family, although his two daughters don’t really want him there. When his oldest daughter reveals to him that his wife was having an affair an adventure begins that will make everybody reexamine their life and their decisions.
Payne paces his movie perfectly, dropping hints and taking his story in slightly different directions when you least expect it. He takes his time fleshing out beautiful scenes between the adults and the kids that really cement their relationships for the audience. Clooney plays slightly against character here. He is old and weary and tired of all the nonsense he has to endure when he handles his family in a big real estate deal. He is absolutely out of his depth when dealing with his kids.
The older daughter, Alexandra, appears to hate his guts, but soon turns around when the news about her mother hits her. She becomes his accomplice. The young actrice who plays her, Shailene Woodley, is an eye opener. She reminds me of a young Natalie Portman. She is brilliant and she deserves more work in features. Another revelation is Matthew Lillard, who we all know as the zany actor from Scream. He shows here that he is grown up and able to handle heavy material. Other big names that shine are Beau Bridges, Robert Forster and Judy Greer.
Another element that struck me was the locale. Having been to Hawai’i recently I have to say this is one of the most realistic depictions of Hawai’i. It is wet, windy, beautiful, scruffy, rugged, and all at the same time. I really want to go back sometime and experience more of the islands. I had no doubt that The Descendants would manage to move me and I have to say it did just that. The devil is in the details and Payne is a master of them.
My Movie Year 2012 
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