The Descendants

Alexander Payne’s first film since 2004’s Sideways, The Descendants follows George Clooney’s Matt King as he inevitably grows closer to his two young daughters (Shailene Woodley’s Alexandra and Amara Miller’s Scottie) after his wife is severely injured in a boating accident. There’s little doubt that The Descendants is completely engrossing right from the outset, as Payne does a superb job of immediately luring the viewer into the proceedings – with Clooney’s tremendously charismatic performance ensuring that his character becomes an immediately sympathetic figure. The compelling vibe is perpetuated by Matt’s relationship between his two daughters, and there’s certainly no denying the palpable chemistry that exists among the three performers. Payne’s leisurely sensibilities result in a midsection that is certainly quite watchable, yet it’s hard to deny that the movie never quite manages to recapture the stellar feel of its opening half hour. It doesn’t hurt, however, that Payne has sprinkled the proceedings with a handful of undeniably captivating sequences, including a fantastic scene in which Matt confronts the man who almost destroyed his family. Otherwise, though, Payne is perfectly content to perpetuate the movie’s affable atmosphere, which confirms The Descendants‘ place as a typically watchable yet far-from-consistent effort from the filmmaker.

*** out of ****