Alexander Payne's The Descendants is a phenomenal film. The plot is filled with human complexities that are so intricately woven together that attempting to summarize it would do the film a disservice. To be brief: Matt King (Clooney) is in the middle of selling a large plot of Hawaiian land when his wife (Hastie) falls into a vegetative state after a boating accident. He has to take care of his two daughters, Alex (Woodley) and Scottie (Miller), while telling their friends and family that his wife is to be taken off life support. There is so much more here, but I don't want to make the story seem simpler than it is with my rudimentary retellings, nor do I want to ruin the experience of discovery and involvement.
The film effortlessly walks the line between comedy and tragedy with a heartbreaking script and breathtakingly honest performances. (Not to mention unparalleled medical accuracy for a Hollywood film.) It is reminiscent of Payne's earlier film Sideways, juxtaposing opposite moods like Wes Anderson but in a more muted and mature fashion. On the whole, the movie feels authentic and believable despite those sometimes acute shifts in tone. This is the result of a script that is precise and articulate, and a director who can lift the words off the page and pull the truth out of his actors. Clooney gives one of his best performances ever. He exudes vulnerability, strength, wisdom, naïveté, charisma, and ugliness in equal parts, painting a picture of a desperate man searching for meaning in the face of death. He pulls at our heartstrings with such ferocity that I feared they might break. I'm surprised I didn't cry during the film's final tender scenes.
The movie occasionally missteps, but I won't belabor its minor faults. This movie is both fascinating and enjoyable, a testament to the human experience, and I cannot wait to watch it again.
IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/