The Descendants (2011)

It seems like ages since I've written my thoughts about a film down for people to read. If I remember correctly, the last film I wrote about was Grindhouse: Planet Terror back in the old Multiply website. So forgive this initial attempt at a comeback if it lacks any semblance of a valid movie review. As I write more, I'll try to do better I promise. It is also befitting that I re-start this hobby of mine discussing one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the year - Alexander Payne's The Descendants

The end of the year is usually where Hollywood studios release their bets for Oscar gold. Because of the Metro Manila Film Festival though, we get these films a few months delayed. This for me is both good and bad since by this time the nominations have been announced, so we only get those films that were actually nominated and not those that were snubbed but still worth watching. So when Giulz and I found out that The Descendants was now showing, we made it a point to watch it and see if the film lived up to all the hype and if George Clooney's performance was as good as his nominations merited. By the end of the film, the answer was a definite yes to my queries.

The plot of The Descendants is pretty straight forward- An absentee father attempts to mend his strained relationship with his two children because his wife is near death due to an accident. Seems cliche, pinoy-like even, but there truly is so much more to the film than the main plot. This movie is so far from the usual family drama where the absentee parent, in this case Clooney, is solely to blame for all the family's dysfunctionality, will spend the whole film being the nicest parent there can be, and they will live happily ever after. Much like his other films, Payne initially introduces us to the simplicity of the plot, slowly sucking us in, and then
gradually exposes the depth of each character. We are shown the pains, the internal strife, and the inherent goodness of each character that you find yourself hating them one minute, and loving them the next. All of this depth is shown to us with such a witty and light-hearted nature that you will often forget just how heavy and moving the film you are watching is.

The story revolved around Matt King (Clooney), and just like Miles in Payne's previous film Sideways, Matt  is presented to us as someone who simply does not know what to do with his situation. He is used to routine, and when the status quo is altered, he is left lost and adjusting in order to simply survive. Clooney was the perfect choice for Matt King- The conflicted, confused main character. His performance was indeed Oscar worthy, none more so than a simple 30 second portion towards the end of the film that simply blew me away. I now put Clooney in the same group as Brad Pitt and Leonardo diCaprio - Actors whose skills are greatly overlooked and under appreciated because of their looks. Aside from Clooney, Shailene Woodley was a revelation. Her portrayal of the angry teenage daughter was absolutely incredible and truly breaks the stereotype of the character as some spoiled, ingrate who is just going through a phase.

The script and dialogue blended perfectly with the mood of the film. There were so many witty and hilarious moments in the film which for me, further accented the seriousness of the theme. For me, by allowing the characters to speak in such a way, Payne paints a picture where the themes and underlying tensions of each character are further shown by their attempts at hiding it with the way they talk. The mood is made even more lighthearted thanks to the setting. Making use of beautiful settings as a backdrop to show such serious issues is vintage Payne, and it's really hard to get any more beautiful and relaxing than Hawaii (I seriously have to visit Phil here). The beaches, food, and overall feel of the place puts the viewer at ease and leaves us unprepared for the sheer depth and heaviness of the entire film.

I don't wanna give away too much without spoiling it for you guys, or maybe I'm just at a loss for more words to describe this excellent film. Giulz asked me what I thought of the film immediately upon leaving the theater and I told her I found it to be "whimsically heavy". It's one of those films that at first seems normal and not much should be expected of it, but it takes you on a ride that may not take your breath away, but will certainly hit your heart and emotions hard.

9/10