Nordling here.
Henry David Thoreau said that most men lead lives of quiet desperation, and that's never been more true than in Alexander Payne's films. Like Paul Giamatti in SIDEWAYS, or Jack Nicholson in ABOUT SCHMIDT, or even Matthew Broderick in ELECTION, those characters have passion but no place to put it, and they are left grasping at anything to show the world that they exist, that they have a place. Payne has always been great at making films about that curious bit of American need, and THE DESCENDANTS is no exception. Matt King (George Clooney) is a man that doesn't seem to be living that quiet desperation, but events transpire that bring out that inner torment, and cause Matt to reassess his life.
Matt King is a lawyer in Hawaii. His family were among the first white landowners in that island nation, and when it became a state the Kings managed to hold on to a huge piece of land. But due to state law, that land is going to be returned to the state in seven years if it's not sold, and Matt is the trustee that will determine what happens to it. His family is torn between a local investor and one from the continental United States, and a lot of money is involved, so the chief responsibility for any decision lies with Matt.
But Matt is also dealing with his wife, Elizabeth, being in a coma after a devastating boating accident, and he is having difficulty coping with all his responsibilities, to the family, to the land, and especially to his two young daughters, Scottie (Amara Miller) and Alexandra (Shailene Woodley). Then Alexandra drops a bombshell on Matt - his wife, their mother, was cheating on Matt with a local real estate agent.
This information sends Matt into a spiral - he must figure out why his wife was cheating on him, and to add to that, she signed a living will instructing the doctors to turn off life support if there was no brain activity. Because she is going to die, Matt takes his two daughters, and Alexandra's friend Sid (Nick Krause) to let the rest of the family know what is happening and to figure out who Elizabeth was cheating on, and more importantly, why. Matt must learn to say his goodbyes and make his peace with Elizabeth, and figure out his place in this new world that he never expected to find himself in.
George Clooney gets what could possibly be his best role in Matt King. He's just a regular guy, wearing Hawaiian shirts and trying to figure out how his life went south so fast. He reacts with genuine anger, shock, and conflicted emotions when he receives the news about his wife, and how Clooney shows him going through all that is remarkable. It's not showy at all - much of it is internalized because Matt doesn't want to upset his younger daughter Scottie.
But his older daughter, Alexandra, knows everything and tries to help Matt deal with it, and Woodley is simply amazing in the role, and should be remembered come awards season. Robert Forster plays Elizabeth's father, full of rage that Matt didn't do right by her, and Matt doesn't have the heart to tell him the truth. And Matthew Lillard, as the guy Elizabeth cheated with, is quite good as well. He risks everything, including his own marriage to Julie (Judy Greer) due to the relationship, but his motives aren't necessarily about any attachment towards Elizabeth, either. And Greer only has a couple of scenes, but she makes a strong impact with them, enough so that she could get special mention as well.
Before you start to think that the subject matter is too depressing, note that THE DESCENDANTS is a very funny movie, with many memorable moments. Payne has always seen the humor in some of the darkest situations, and THE DESCENDANTS is no exception. Alexander Payne makes films that people can relate to, and I think his particular voice in film is the kind that should be treasured. Payne has the unique talent of making characters that feel real and genuine, and these are people worth spending time with. The screenplay, by Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash (based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings) is smart, witty, and has a unique voice.
THE DESCENDANTS will likely wind up on a few best-of-year lists, but that almost seems to be setting up the film for overhyping. It's a quiet movie about a man trying to sort out his life, and the binding power of family. Even when you can't stand the people you love, you can't help but love them through and through. There are no simple villains in THE DESCENDANTS - even Lillard's philandering real estate agent isn't strictly a bad guy, just a complicated one - and Payne has a knack for making films that feel true and honest, but are still enjoyable, funny, and heartfelt. THE DESCENDANTS is a terrific film in his catalog, and while it's probably not up to SIDEWAYS's greatness, it's still a very good film in a year full of a lot of them.
Nordling, out.
