The Descendants DVD
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Beau Bridges
Director: Alexander Payne
Rating: 4/5
The Descendants was whipping up a storm on the awards circuit earlier this year and now we get to re-live the delight of this movie all over again as it is released on DVD & Blu-Ray this week.
Matt King (George Clooney) is an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki.
The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.
This is a touching drama from start to finish as Matt and his two daughters struggle to come to turns with events and the secrets that have been revealed.
This is a great central performance from Clooney and one of the best of his career as a workaholic father who has had little input into the raising of his children.
Suddenly he is faced with the responsibility of parenthood and her realises that he doesn't really know his children.
There is a great central relationships between Clooney and Shailene Woodley, who plays his oldest daughter Alexandra.
She carries a secret of her mother's whilst also coming to terms with what has happened to her and the guilt that she also feels.
It's a head butting relationship at first but it really develops into a beautiful father and daughter bond that is just great to watch.
Shailene Woodley really is a talent to watch as she more than stands her own on the screen with Clooney as she delivers an assured and emotional performance.
Director Alexander Payne is a director who has always been interested in human drama and The Descendants are not different as he tackles very real themes of parenthood, loss, guilt, betrayal in this very moving drama.
But it is not all doom and gloom as Payne injects some perfectly timed comedy aspects that really does lift the movie and give it a slightly greater dimension.
The script is sharp and witty and there are elements that everyone can relate to and the central character of Matt really does have an everyman feel to him.
The Descendants is a movie where Clooney really does give the performance of his career and this is a film that is not to be missed.
The Descendants is out on DVD & Blu-Ray now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw