Alexander's Payne's films are perhaps the best tragicomedies around. Captures the essence of Hawaii in a timeless story of multi-generational American family history.
I thought this was a good movie but I think I failed to see it's "greatness". George Clooney is always George Clooney - he shows up the same in every movie so my expectations were high based on the reviews. However, it was simply George Clooney. Great story though.
Clooney is masterful in this well-written, nuanced family drama about betrayal and grace. One of the more mature and real films you'll see from Hollywood.
From Alexander Payne, the creator of the Oscar-winning 'Sideways', set in Hawaii, 'The Descendants' is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey of an indifferent husband and father of two girls.