THE DESCENDANTS

US, 2011, 115 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Patricia Hastie, Beau Bridges, Michael Ontkean, Matthew Lillard, Judy Greer.
Directed by Alexander Payne.

Subject of a lot of hype and promotion, The Descendants turned out to be much better than anticipated. Director, Alexander Payne, has made only a few films but they have a strong humanity (About Schmidt) and sometimes quite a sardonic tone (Election, Sideways). The Descendants is strong on humanity.

In fact, there is quite a lot of depth to the characters and to the situations (ordinary enough in the lives of many people).

The film has been adapted from a Hawaiian novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, who has a brief cameo as George Clooney’s secretary. While events like those in the film can occur anywhere, the striking, of ten beautiful, location photography of islands and sea, beaches and mountains, ensure that the audience has a Hawaiian experience. And many Polynesian songs and music in the score.

We glimpse a happy water skier in the first few moments of the film. We soon learn that she has had an accident and is in coma, lying almost lifeless in hospital. Her husband Matt (George Clooney) is in the middle of an important business venture for his extended family (there are lots of cousins in the clan). Land their family was granted in the 1860s has to be sold according to law. It is an opportunity for the family to become comfortable, even wealthy. Most are for the sale, a few not. Later in the film we see the property, pristine beach and valley acreage – seemingly destined for more hotels and yet another golf club.

That would give Matt enough to worry about, but there is a great deal more. Wrapped up in business matters and rather restrained in emotional expression, he and his wife have become distant. Then he learns from his 17 year old daughter, Alex (Shailene Woodley who brings sullenness, yet love and warmth to the role as she faces up to her mother’s plight and her father’s difficulties in handling problems, especially looking after her ten year old sister) that all has not been well.

Matt is quite a strong character but realises he has been cold as a husband and very much ignorant as to how to bring up his daughters. His father-in-law (Robert Forster) who has idealised his daughter is no help at all – and his wife is suffering from dementia.

As Matt investigates what has happened to his marriage and has to decide what steps to take, as well as how to inform the relatives and his daughters that the life support system has to be turned off, he takes his daughters to Kaui. He finds ways to try to resolve the problem which means a difficult meeting with an estate agent (Matthew Lillard) and his wife (Judy Greer). Along for the trip and moral support (which is gauche and offensive at first) is Alex’s friend, Sid. Annoying at first, we learn more about him and change our minds somewhat. A reminder that we need to listen to people and their stories first before rushing to judgment.

The resolutions of the two crises, the life support system and the deal about the land, are both satisfyingly presented, full of different kinds of emotion, but judicious in the presentation of feelings and sentiment. Matt’s final farewell to his wife is a moving and tender reminder that love should be unconditional and forgiving.

We get to know the King family very well. They are dysfunctional and, if tragedy had not intervened, the dysfunction might have greatly increased. However, with all their uncertainties and faults, they grow in awareness of themselves and loving relationships. The dynamic of the film is a blend of love, honesty, anger, forgiveness – and hope.

1. The acclaim and awards? A piece of Americana? Universal issues?

2. The Hawaiian perspective, the islands, the sea, the local ancestors, the American ancestors? The generations, land and wealth, heritage? Into the 21st century?

3. The locations, the city of Honolulu, Diamond Head and the landmarks, the other islands, the water and beaches, the property? Hospitals, offices? Realism? The musical score – and the Hawaiian tones?

4. The title and focus, the generations, the past, heritage, the present and future?

5. Matt King and the voice-over, his explanation about himself, that Hawaii was not Paradise, that ordinary lives were lived there, dysfunctional families? Universal problems and coping with them?

6. Elizabeth King and the prologue, her exhilaration with the water skiing? The transition to her being in coma after the accident? The atmosphere of the hospital? The visitors, grief? Matt, his vigils? Scottie? Elizabeth’s friends? The doctors and the tests, the coma, the prospects, the issue of life support and decisions to be made? Matt’s responsibility? His daughters, accepting their mother’s accident, that life support should be withdrawn? Scottie not knowing? Matt and his assembling the relatives and friends, telling them the truth? Julie and her visit, her talk with Elizabeth, anger and forgiveness? Matt and the final talking to Elizabeth, love and forgiveness?

7. Matt, his life, property ownership, saving his money, practising law? A Hawaiian, his ancestors – and his explanation of his ancestry to his daughters, the photos of the ancestors, the local princess, the property, the history in the 19th century? Land? His handling the legal aspects of the sale of the land, requirements by Hawaiian law? The prospective deals, contracts? The money as helping the cousins? The time limit? Discussions, the cousins, the assembly and the party, the pressures? The individual cousins? The view of the property, showing it to his daughters? Brian Speer and his work connection? The possible profit? Matt’s anger, the meeting, the various cousins and Matt’s decision not to sign the contract? The prospect of the years to think through the issue? Julie and her agreement about the stance taken? The 21st century land issues and environment?

8. Matt and his family, his business absences, distance from Elizabeth, his inability to be touched, his seeming lack of feeling? Tension? Elizabeth raising the children? Her clashes with Alex? Scottie and her place in the home? Alex, brash, going to the institution, her problems, drugs, her friends, her father catching her at the visit? Arguments, resentment? Her return, the response to her mother’s illness?

9. Alex telling Matt about her mother, seeing the man, the shock and its effect? Matt and his reaction, disbelief, the news permeating his behaviour? Going to check the house, finding the address, seeing Brian’s picture on the billboard? The phone call and the impersonation about a buyer? The message?

10. Alex and Sid? Sid’s presence, his age, size, laconic? His insensitivity at the visit to Elizabeth’s parents, her mother and dementia? Elizabeth’s father and his anger, punching Sid? Sid ever-present, supportive of Alex? Irritating Matt? Gradually talking more and more, helping in tracking down Brian Speer? His family background, intelligent, sharing with Matt – and audience sympathy for him by the end?

11. The visit to the grandparents, the father idolising his daughter, not believing anything ill of her, his anger about the accident, wanting blame? His wife and her dementia? Sid laughing? The father not approving Matt? Going to the hospital, the visit?

12. Going to the island, meeting the relatives, talking, tracking down Brian? The information about the deals and his connection? Matt on the beach, seeing Brian jogging, checking the house, the strategy with Alex, the visit, Julie and the kids – and Matt’s encounter with her on the beach and talking with her? The tension, asking Brian for a tour of the house, confronting him, Brian admitting the truth, the effect on Matt? The intimate questions asked? Questions about true love or not? Brian calling the relationship an affair?

13. The effect, Brian and his being a coward, trying to preserve his marriage, Julie’s visit to Matt, her explanation of sensing something wrong, wanting to talk to Elizabeth – on behalf of Brian as well as express her anger and forgiveness?

14. The turning off of the support system, the doctor explaining the issue to Scottie?

15. The meeting, the issue of the contract, the pressure from the cousins, Matt’s decision, their having to accept it? The action for the next couple of years?

16. The portrait of the two girls, the attention to detail, the ordinariness, the ten-year-old and her behaviour, food, play, interactions with people? The age difference between herself and Alex? Alex and the transformation, taking more responsibility, self-esteem, exorcising the clashes with her mother? Relating to her father?

17. Love, infidelity and its causes, forgiveness, unconditional love, death and grief? The range of issues of the film, real – and considered at depth?