The Descendants is a 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne.
The screenplay by Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash is based on the novel of the same name
by Kaui Hart Hemmings.
The film stars George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard
and Robert Forster, and was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in the United States
on November 18, 2011 after being screened at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.
Tracing the journey of land baron Matt King who struggles with unexpected occurrences
in his monotonous life, The Descendants was released to positive reviews from critics
and won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as two Golden Globe Awards
for Best Picture – Drama and Best Actor – Drama for Clooney.
Plot Matthew "Matt" King is a Honolulu-based attorney
and the sole trustee of a family trust that controls 25,000 acres of pristine land on
the island of Kauai—land that is not only of great monetary value, but of distinct cultural
value as well.
Though he has been able to manage his money, most of Matt's cousins are broke from squandering
their share of the inheritance.
The trust will expire in seven years because of the rule against perpetuities, so the King
family has decided to sell the land to Kauai's native Don Holitzer for development.
Just before family members are ready to formally endorse the deal, a boating accident near
Waikīkī renders Matt's wife, Elizabeth, comatose.
The Kings have two daughters, 17-year-old Alex and 10-year-old Scottie.
With Elizabeth in a coma at Queen's Hospital, he is forced to confront Scottie's inappropriate
behavior with other children and Alex's destructive ways.
Matt is informed by one of his wife's doctors that Elizabeth will never awaken from her
coma, which means that under the terms of her living will she must be disconnected shortly
from life support.
When Matt tells Alex the news, she reveals that Elizabeth was having an affair at the
time of the accident, which has caused a major rift between mother and daughter.
One of Matt's friends, Kai Mitchell, says that Elizabeth had planned to leave Matt for
her lover; later, Kai's husband, Mark, tells him that the man is named Brian Speer.
Matt decides to find Brian and convince him to visit Elizabeth while she is still alive,
learning that he is a real estate agent currently vacationing in Kauai.
After telling the family of Elizabeth's terminal prognosis, Matt, along with the girls and
Alex's slacker friend Sid, travel to Kauai.
During a jog on a beach, Matt recognizes Brian and follows him to a cottage owned by Matt's
cousin, Hugh.
Hugh tells him that Brian is Holitzer's brother-in-law, and if Matt and his family sell their land
to Holitzer, Brian stands to gain a lot of money from commissions when it is developed.
Later that evening, Matt and Alex return to Brian's cottage and, while Alex distracts
Brian's wife Julie, Matt finally confronts Brian and tells him about his wife's condition.
Brian says that while Elizabeth loved him, the affair was only a fling for him, and he
loves his wife and family.
He tells Matt he is sorry for the pain he caused.
Matt, Scottie, Alex and Sid return home.
At Matt's request, at the hospital, Scottie is finally told of her mother's impending
death by a grief counselor, allowing her, too, to begin her process of farewell.
After Elizabeth is disconnected, her father, Scott, together with his wife and son, comes
to the hospital to say his last goodbyes.
He accuses Matt of not having been a more generous and loving husband to Elizabeth,
whom he describes as a good and faithful wife.
Matt agrees with him, choosing not to disclose the details of her affair.
Sid and Alex both unexpectedly come to Matt's defense.
Matt meets with his cousins to vote on the fate of the land.
The majority vote in favor of selling to Holitzer, but Matt has second thoughts and decides to
keep the land and find a different solution.
Shocked, Hugh tells Matt that he and the other cousins may take legal action, but Matt is
undeterred.
Brian's wife Julie, after learning of the affair and realizing that Brian will not visit
Elizabeth, comes to the hospital, partly feeling that decency obliges her to.
She tearfully admits to Elizabeth that she wants to hate her for "trying to destroy"
her family, but that she forgives her.
Alone by his wife's hospital bed after Julie leaves, Matt finally comes to terms with his
wife's act of treachery, and tenderly kisses her goodbye.
He is followed by Alex and Scottie.
Matt, Alex, and Scottie scatter Elizabeth's ashes in the ocean off Waikiki.
The film closes in a "breaking the fourth wall" fashion, with the three watching the
same screen as the film's viewers.
The family settles in one at a time, ostensibly watching March of the Penguins, while curled
up on the living room couch, eating ice cream and sharing the quilt that was on Elizabeth's
death bed.
Cast George Clooney - Matthew "Matt" King
Shailene Woodley - Alex King Beau Bridges - Cousin Hugh
Judy Greer - Julie Speer Nick Krause - Sid
Amara Miller - Scottie King Matthew Lillard - Brian Speer
Robert Forster - Scott Patricia Hastie - Elizabeth King
Mary Birdsong - Kai Mitchell Rob Huebel - Mark Mitchell
Milt Kogan - Dr. Johnston Laird Hamilton - Troy
Michael Ontkean - Rondie Matt Corboy - Kaiba
Celia Kenney - Bryson Production
The film began its on-location shoot in Hawaii on March 15, 2010.
Most of the film was shot in Honolulu and around Hanalei Bay.
The house used as Matt King's house had a flaw in that it lacked the banyan tree described
in the book; the filmmakers solved the issue by transplanting a banyan.
For the scene where the King family drives up to a ridge to look over their land, the
film used a 3,000-acre private cattle ranch on the south shore of Kauai, Kipu Ranch.
Kaui Hart Hemmings, the author of the novel on which the movie was based, had a cameo
as Matt King's secretary.
Post-production began on June 14, and continued into February 2011.
It screened at the Telluride, Toronto and New York film festivals and was originally
scheduled to have a limited release on December 16, 2011, but was moved to November 23, 2011
and then November 18, 2011.
The soundtrack uses Hawaiian music, featuring artists including Gabby Pahinui, Ray Kane,
Keola Beamer, Lena Machado, Sonny Chillingworth, Jeff Peterson, and Reverend Dennis Kamakahi.
Reception The Descendants received critical acclaim
upon release, with many critics praising the acting.
On Rotten Tomatoes it scored an approval rating of 89% based on 234 reviews.
The website's consensus is: "Funny, moving, and beautifully acted, The Descendants captures
the unpredictable messiness of life with eloquence and uncommon grace."
On Metacritic, the film scored an 84 based on 43 critics.
Three prominent movie critics each gave the film a perfect four star rating: Roger Ebert,
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone magazine, who named it among his ten best films of the year;
and Leonard Maltin in his 2014 Movie Guide: The Modern Era.
Top ten lists The Descendants has appeared on the following
critics' top ten lists for the best films of 2011:
Accolades Home media
Two home video formats of The Descendants were released March 13, 2012: a one-disc standard
DVD and a two disc Blu-ray combo pack.
References
External links Official website
The Descendants at the Internet Movie Database The Descendants at AllMovie
The Descendants at Box Office Mojo The Descendants at Rotten Tomatoes
The Descendants at Metacritic The Descendants at The Numbers
Works by or about Kaui Hart Hemmings in libraries