The Descendants is a product of an eclectic mix of previous Oscar winners and rookies. The result is an enjoyable film to watch. The Descendants earned three Academy Awards, including the award for Best Adapted Screenplay (Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash), Best Director (Alexander Payne), and Film Editing (Kevin Tent) and nominations for Best Picture and Actor in a Leading Role (George Clooney). Alexander Payne is known for his directorial and writing work in the 2004 film Sideways starring Jack Nicholson and the 1999 film Election starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick. The story is based on the novel The Descendants by author Kaui Hart Hemmings. The Descendants was first screened at the Toronto Film Festival in 2011.
The Descendants showcases an interesting casting experiment. Shailene Woodley, formerly known as the lead in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”, is impressive and releases herself from any stereotype about teen actors. Her character immediately transforms from an angst filled teenager to an empowered daughter that has to help her father and sister. Matthew Lillard (Without a Paddle), who is mostly known for his comedic roles, plays Elizabeth’s love interest and makes for a fine dislikable coward. Julie Greer, the lovable friend from 13 Going on 30 plays his devoted wife that redeems his cowardice in one of the most heartwarming scenes in film history.
Some have critiqued it as an emotionally based plot, but The Descendants is a multi-layered story and Matt King has several missions that he must accomplish. The story is so rich that the entirety of the premise is revealed to you at the very beginning and still nothing is given away. All the profound action takes place before the story and is completely out of Matt’s control; the inheritance, the infidelity, and the coma. Watching Matt put the pieces back together is moving. Even in the closest attempt at revenge, he still does the right thing.
Special Features:
The Blu-ray comes with a variety of special features that celebrate the filmmaking process, the cast and crew members, and Hawaii. It makes the whole shebang look like a well planned party in which George Clooney is host.
Disc 1
Everybody Loves George (7 min.) This is appropriately titled as a praise session for George Clooney.
Working with Alexander (14 min) Praise for Payne’s work ethic.
The Real Descendants (12 min) A tell-all with two Hawaiian descendants that discuss their inheritance of land in Hawaii.
Hawaiian Style (17 min) The cast and crew praise Hawaii along with a Hawaiian priest.
Casting (8 min) The filmmakers discuss how and why they chose who they did- with the exception of the most interesting casting decision- Shailene Woodley!
Working with Water (11 min) Made for a future filmmaker; this clip discusses shooting under and over water.
“Will I Ever See You Again” Music Video (3 min) A music video from the original soundtrack.
Postcards from Paradise Music Video (2 min) More music from the original soundtrack.
“Honolulu’s Whisper” Music Video (5 min) More music from the original soundtrack.
Waiting for the Light (3 min) Enhances the beauty of the film’s scenery. This shows the cast and crew waiting on the sky for the right moment to begin filming.
The World Parade- Hawaii (Silent Film) (10 min) More praise for Hawaii, in a black and white style.
A Conversation with George Clooney and Alexander Payne (12 min) An excited conversation about filmmaking.
Deleted Scenes (6 min) Very interesting. Short, but interesting. You see some scenes that are intense and for good reason are not part of the final product.
Disc 2
The Descendants in Standard Definition Made for people with Macs. Very considerate. When you purchase the Blu-ray set, you really are getting your money’s worth.
The Descendants for Portable Media Players This gives you the option to download the film into your iTunes so you can have it whenever you would like. It is an awesome extra to the Blu-ray.
