Both funny and heartbreaking, the Descendants offers a realistic portrayal of the trials of death and discovery and the things people go through to survive the death of a loved one who had some unexpected skeletons in the closet.

Matt King (George Clooney) is a lawyer and land baron who finds himself trying to reconnect with his daughters after his wife has a boating accident and falls into a hopeless coma. As he attempts to do this while making arrangements for his wife’s care as well as trying to decide to whom to sell his family’s virgin Hawaiian jungle, he learns that his wife was having an affair. The story follows Matt and his daughters Alex (Shailene Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller) as they try to rebuild their family and find out who was sleeping with their wife/mother.

As a set up, this sounds very depressing but the execution by director Alexander Payne, a master at blending drama with comedy, is touching, funny and feels very true to life. This is not to say that the film is some kind of straight and hilarious comedy but it is rather a realistic portrayal of the way these sorts of hardships unfolds. Likewise the film is not devastatingly depressing or uncomfortable. It is a satisfying mixture of the two that feels, above all, very genuine.

A lot of the credit here goes to the phenomenally gifted cast assembled. The performances are across the board top notch and without such talent the material would have fallen flat. Clooney gives us a Matt who is generally affable and kind but who has not been particularly happy for quite some time. When we find him here he is out of his depth and struggling to do the best he can against a cascade of emotions, none of which are easy to process. It would be easy for an actor to go too big or too small here but Clooney finds the perfect balance and manages to be a likeable character even when he loses his temper or makes bad choices.

Woodley and Miller take roles that we have seen before and make them something that feels fresh. There are tons of films and stories with the rebellious teenage girl and the younger sister grappling with scary things by acting weird or inappropriate but here the characters are tempered with the right amounts of emotion and support for their father. They don’t always get along but they also want to try to work things out with him and it adds a layer of depth to them that is often ignored by films with less on their minds.

Nick Krause is a stand out as Syd, Alex’s boyfriend who emerges as a funny and poignant character from one that made me roll my eyes and hope I didn’t have to spend the rest of the film with him when he first appeared. This sort of role has been done before as well but Krause’s performance sells the whole thing and the writing knows just how to use the character. The surprises of Beau Bridges, Judy Greer and Matthew Lillard are also welcome and provide added value to the picture as they do a lot with the little they are given.

The film also uses its Hawaiian backdrop in an interesting way. Most of the time when we see the location in film the beauty and splendor are highlighted but here we are given a look at what it might be like to live there. Sure there is beauty and splendor but there are also plain and drab locations which look dreary in the rain like anywhere else. It is nice to see and gives the film a lived in quality essential to the slice of life feel offered by the story.

Another thing that I found unique about the movie is that often when you have a character dying or in a coma that person is elevated to an untouchable status to which no fault or wrongdoing can be assigned. This isn’t necessarily a construction of storytelling as often people do not wish to speak ill of the dead or dying but generally things aren’t nearly so cut and dry. It was refreshing to see a movie that challenges that notion and explores when things aren’t so easily swept under the rug and what people have to do to deal with their grief for the loss but also the anger and hurt feelings involved in finding out unsavory details.  That the characters all generally remain likable during even the most emotionally raw and explosive moments is a testament to the quality of the writing and the performances.

It is important to note that the Descendants is a film that takes its time getting to where it is going and spends a lot of time with its characters. If you are engaged in them and have become invested then the length is perfect. If, on the other hand, you are more accustomed to quick cuts and truncated establishing scenes then you might find yourself fidgety during the third act. Personally, I was engrossed in the film and was very pleased with the pacing. It will come down to taste on this point.

Conclusion [9.5 out of 10]

The Descendants is a complex film that offers up a slice of life that feels real and genuine. It is also challenging in some ways and the slower pace may put off some viewers. If you have enjoyed Payne’s work in the past and enjoy character studies that stray from the norm in sometimes subtle but substantive ways then the Descendants is going to be up your alley. If you are looking for something with a quicker pace and a more cookie cutter approach to the material then you may need to look elsewhere. For my money the Descendants is one of the best films of the year and was carried out with expert skill from everyone involved.