For the discerning cinema goer the opening months of the year are the most exciting as films are released in time for the forthcoming awards season. This week's nomination for Oscar glory is " The Descendants", director Alexander Payne's dysfunctional family drama. Following on from "About Schmidt" and " Sideways" this quirky story is familiar territory for the writer/director.
The story revolves around Matt King whose wife is in a coma following a water-skiing accident. Suddenly George Clooney's character's life is turned upside down as he has to look after a troublesome daughter. This is basically a coming of age movie for all ages.
His wife may be static but it is her revealedsecrets that provide the dramatic tension of the movie. Clooney's personal and business life crumbles around him as he attempts to keep his close family together while determining the future of the piece of Hawaiian property his wider family has inherited.
We all know the camera loves George Clooney but this is the first time the lens allows you to see inside his head. You feel the workings of his brain as he battles whether to reveal the truth of his wife and therefore destroy the memories people will keep of her.
For a densely written piece this is a film that takes its time. You are given two hours to understand the characters, warts and all. It is also a film about the environment with Hawaii increasingly becoming a character in its own right. Early on we see modern Hawaii, all horrible soul-less skyscrapers. But as the film develops and Clooney (as lead trustee) has to decide the future of his family's inheritance the camera pans lovingly on the remaining beautiful unspoilt territory.
This is undoubtedly Clooney's film but he is forced to provide the performance of his career thanks to a splendid supporting cazt including Shailene Woodley as his troubled daughter and Robert Forster as his father-in-law attempting to conceeal his grief.
This may not sound like a barrel of laughs but Alexander Payne has the good sense to insert humour along the way to prevent this turning into one-paced melodrama. Clooney's running for example will be long remembered and credit must go for the perfect ending.
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