The Descendants: Review By thedude-abides

Nov 29th, 2011 by thedude-abides
The Descendants is a 2011 dramedy that is as unchallenging as it is unrewarding, playing more to the tune of monotone than masterpiece.
  • OVERALL
    3.0
    WORTHY
  • Story
  • Acting
  • Directing
  • Visuals
As we inch closer to award season, those who are familiar with the Academy's propensity for playing favorites have surely heard by now that The Descendants, written and directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways, About Schmidt), will likely play the part as this year's darling. Based on the novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants is a 2011 dramedy that is as unchallenging as it is unrewarding, playing more to the tune of monotone than masterpiece.

Coming off his 2004 Oscar-nominated film, Sideways, Alexander Payne does a more than admirable job in his 2011 follow-up, but is reminiscent of a child daring to venture into the water for the first time, as he's only willing to get his toes wet.

Despite the handful of endearing moments the film delivers, there are an equal and opposite number of head-slapping ones to go along with them. Payne's inept sense of humor hits with stomach-curdling fecklessness, amassing mostly the kind of nervous laughter by those generally seeking to avoid confrontation, rather than that of genuine humor.

Filled with teenagers constantly cursing and berating adults, making fun of the elderly as well as the mentally retarded, and 10 year-olds watching porn, The Descendants is more a de facto indictment on the current state of society than anything resembling endearing on Payne's or the film's behalf.

Much like the majority of films to have come out this year, The Descendants has no story arc, and serves merely as exposition throughout. There is literally no introduction, no rising action, no climax, no falling action, and no conclusion; it simply progresses at a flatline pace until it reaches the end, if one can indeed call it an ending.

Even the acting at times was a bit shotty. Imagine a movie starring three teenagers and a bunch of no-names, most of whom had never acted in a feature film before, thrown into the mix with George Clooney and you have an idea of the acting in The Descendants. That's not to say the acting was bad, but the inexperience of the entire cast outside of Clooney was a glaring weakness throughout the film that, despite even the most forgiving set of eyes, couldn't be avoided. The sole redeemer, of course, coming in Clooney's performance.

Clooney's a throwback to the days of old Hollywood and guys like Clark Gable and Cary Grant, when not only was playing a slightly different version of oneself in every movie not considered a bad thing, it was the standard. Classical acting, despite having been supplanted by method acting since the early '50s (shameless Brando plug), the last time I looked, is still acting. And while it may not be the standard in today's Hollywood, Clooney certainly is. With his performance, Clooney positions himself right atop this year's list of potential nominees for Best Actor in what is sure to be a category filled with heavyweights.

The Descendants is a fine film, but nonetheless a flawed one, teetering more on the verge of normalcy rather than that of perfection. Payne's adaptation delivers a superfluous plot filled with minor, intricate details which fail to amount to anything of greater substance in the end. As for myself, I thought Sideways was better.

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Comments (20)

  1. MovieManiac

    Great review by the way.

    1 year agoby @moviemaniac66Flag

  2. MovieManiac

    I enjoyed the movie but it felt like one of those movies which were really good but i would not remember it after like a week. I'd give it like a 3.5-4/5.

    1 year agoby @moviemaniac66Flag

  3. Janice Soranno

    I hated this movie. I hated the over-sexualization of his daughters (i.e. bikini scene with her Dad and young girl dancing around in underwear -- totally unnecessary), I hated the off-colour humour about Alzhiemers patients, I hated how the kids were rude, demanding and 'in-control' of their father, I hated the foul swearing that came out of the kids mouths, and I especially hated the unrealistic portrayal of how kids would react to their mother on life-support. It was supposed to be a serious topic (death of a wife and mother, and infidelity) but the movie was full of disgusting attempts at vulgar humour. This movie even focused more on the husband's 'finances' and 'future' without his wife -- before she was even dead. Nothing about the movie felt realistic (the husband was even at a c*cktail party after the decision was made to take his wife off life support). The movie was so distasteful to me that I walked out of the theatre. It is a clear indication of why so many children have become mouthy, entitled, obnoxious, overtly sexual, insensitive people. Is this really entertainment ?

    1 year agoby @Janice-SorannoFlag

  4. thedude-abides

    @moviegeek That's good to hear. And I agree, trying to salvage the boyfriend after all that was lame.

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  5. moviegeek

    @thedude-abides Okay well that idiot boyfriend... I have no clue why he was even in the movie. And then the movie went all sympathetic on him talking about his parents. Please... Spare me.

    And the grandma thing was sad :( Alzheimer's is one of the saddest things. But I guess with the crowd I was watching this with, they knew when to laugh and when to not. I didn't hear people laughing at the touchier subjects.

    1 year agoby @moviegeekFlag

  6. thedude-abides

    @moviegeek You didn't notice the uncomfortable humor? Most of the time I didn't know whether to laugh or be insulted. I have a brother with a learning disability. So that entire scene in the car when that chode is talking about "retards" found me very upset, albeit chuckling nervously so as not to make the company I was with uncomfortable, as they clearly knew my situation.

    Those kids in that movie constantly cursing out Clooney and the comatose mother knocking on death's door, not to mention making fun of the disabled grandmother, was very uncomfortable to me, as it was to most of those in attendance.

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  7. moviegeek

    @thedude-abides I enjoyed it, but really I don't understand the love everyone is giving this one. For one thing, Clooney's character is left SO ambiguous. Why does everyone hate him so much? Because of that, Clooney's performance never really sold me at all.

    I didn't really notice the uncomfortable humor you mentioned. It all felt very "indie" with its humor. Sort of Little Miss Sunshine-ish.

    What's weird is I wasn't really all that fond of Sideways :P

    Anyhoo, a 3.5/5 is the same as a 3/4 for you in my grade scale.

    1 year agoby @moviegeekFlag

  8. thedude-abides

    Thanks, @moviegeek. I think it had a negative feel because I felt somewhat disappointed after seeing it, as it didn't live up to all the hype it's getting. It's still a very fine film, though. I think you might enjoy it more than I did, uncomfortable moments of humor aside.

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  9. moviegeek

    @dan1 Thank you!! Someone else who doesn't like Clooney!

    @thedude-abides I really like this review. It flows nicely and you made your points well. Maybe more negative than positive (which seems odd considering this is 3/4 for you). But good work. I'm still planning to see this one.

    1 year agoby @moviegeekFlag

  10. thedude-abides

    @bawnian-dexeus Cool. I'll definitely check it out.

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  11. thedude-abides

    @dan1 I'm definitely with you on it. I know we had this discussion a few weeks back, and while I appreciate Clooney's acting (as I alluded to in my review), watching him play himself in every movie is definitely an act that wears thin. It makes all of his movies seem of the same note.

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  12. Bawnian©-Dexeus

    @thedude-abides Once I finish with my film assignments I'll have it up and all the reviews I've yet to get on

    1 year agoby @bawnian-dexeusFlag

  13. Dan

    @thedude-abides As anything Clooney does is. My hope is that more people realize this with time.

    1 year agoby @dan1Flag

  14. thedude-abides

    @bawnian-dexeus Thanks, dude. Glad you enjoyed it. R u going to review it?

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  15. thedude-abides

    Thanks, @dan1. As I told corey, I'm certainly in the minority on this one, but I found it to be extremely overhyped.

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  16. Bawnian©-Dexeus

    I enjoyed it and I respect your review. Good read

    1 year agoby @bawnian-dexeusFlag

  17. thedude-abides

    @corey Thanks, man. Obviously I'm in the minority here (what else is new? lol), but that's my honest assessment.

    1 year agoby @thedude-abidesFlag

  18. Dan

    Not only do I not like Clooney, reading your description of the film makes me want to see it even less.

    But great review @thedude-abides, I know to steer clear of this one now.

    1 year agoby @dan1Flag

  19. Corey W.

    I thought it had a story-arc though, maybe not a strong one considering its just a drama about a family, but I found a story there. I was able to connect with a lot though so its understandable if we don't exactly see eye-to-eye on that haha :P

    1 year agoby @coreyFlag

  20. Corey W.

    Loved this film. Glad you still liked it though. Excellent review, as always man.

    1 year agoby @coreyFlag