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"The Descendants" finds writer and director Alexander Payne telling another story about the human condition. Like "About Schmidt" and "Sideways," this new film is focused on grief, and how we deal with what we can't plan.
George Clooney is marvelous as a wealthy attorney in Hawaii, who's been married to his work for years. No wonder his wife is distant and his two daughters barely know him. We learn all of that in the first five minutes with some Clooney narration, which then goes away. That's always a problem.
When his wife gets in a boating accident and winds up in a coma, he has to re-evaluate what's really important, and face some hard truths - she's been cheating on him.
His eldest daughter is played by a very talented Shailene Woodley, and the movie hinges on the development of their relationship as they track down the other man.
Payne has a knack for portraying pain with splashes of humor. And coupled with these wonderful performances, there's much to admire here.
But at times the movie is too understated, and the emotional payoffs are a little underwhelming. Payne also spends too much of the movie letting the camera soak in the Hawaiian scenery with musical interludes. It's pretty, sure, but it distracts from the drama, feels self-aware, and slows the movie to a crawl.
The Descendants has some nice moments, and Clooney's emotionally raw performance is fantastic, but despite the sunny Hawaiian scenery, it left me a bit cold.
EPPLER'S RATING: * * *
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