*OSCAR SPECIAL*
NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE
I wasn't overly bowled over by the trailer for The Descendants, and as I'm not a huge George Clooney fan I wasn't 100% sure if I'd see it. It was only when one of my friends suggested a movie one cold Sunday afternoon, and when we discovered The Descendants was one of the only films we hadn't already seen, that we decided to give it a go.
The Descendants is about the King family, and how the head of the family, Matt (Clooney), copes when his wife Elizabeth falls into a coma following a boating accident. Matt has to find out how to be a father to his two daughters having never really actively parented them before. He also discovers that his wife was unfaithful to him and so must also cope with this shock without being able to discuss this with his wife. In the midst of all this he has to consider a lucrative offer to sell his ancestors land, an offer his extended family would like him to accept but which Matt would rather not consider.
I can't help but think that The Descendants is an odd film to be in the Best Film category at this years Oscars. Elizabeth's accident in the film is never shown, only the after effects of her lying comatose in the hospital. And even then you don't really feel too sorry for her because she was cheating on her husband. So it's not overly sentimental or a sob story like say, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It's not groundbreaking like Hugo or eye-opening like The Help. It's not gimmicky like The Artist and doesn't have a talented animal star like War Horse and is not directed by Woody Allen. So it's hard to see what it was about this rather ordinary (and a little depressing) film that stood out to the members of the academy?
One thing I will say is that the acting, especially from Shailene Woodley as the older daughter is top notch. But that's really the only thing that stood out for me about The Descendants. I doubt I'd want to watch it again, I wouldn't particularly feel the need to recommend it to my friends and I definitely wouldn't buy it. I just didn't especially connect with the story emotionally to care about any of the characters.
A good acting showcase, especially for the younger cast, but that's about it. 6 out of 10.
Viewing Date - 5th February 2012
UK Release Date - 27th January 2012
Cast Overview:
George Clooney ~ Matt King
Shailene Woodley ~ Alexandra King
Amara Miller ~ Scottie King
Nick Krause ~ Sid
Patricia Hastie ~ Elizabeth King
Beau Bridges ~ Cousin Hugh
Robert Forster ~ Scott Thorson
Matthew Lillard ~ Brian Speer
Judy Greer ~ Julie Speer
Director ~ Alexander Payne
Writer(s) ~ Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash - Screenplay
and Kaui Hart Hemmings - Novel
No comments:
Post a Comment