The Descendants

Matt King (George Clooney) is a father of two difficult children who live on the islands of Hawaii. The youngest, Scottie(Amara Miller) is 10 year old with a bad attitude. The oldest, Alex (Shailene Woodley) is a defiant 17 year old who constantly parties and refuses to follow the rules. Matt has a hard time connecting with his kids and has always left the parenting  to his wife, Elizabeth. This all changes when Elizabeth gets into an accident and falls into a coma. After much time in the hospital, Matt is informed that Elizabeth will never wakeup. When Matt tells Alex, she reveals that her mother was having an affair with another man. Matt's first reaction is to find the man and seek revenge. The film ultimately captures the difficulties of dealing with family issues and death.

The Descendants is raw, real, and heart breaking. George Clooney's performance was extremely interesting. He was able to really depict what a father would go through if put in this complex situation. He is angry, sad, vengeful, and confused all at the same time. He makes the character likeable and particularly relatable. The girls do a fabulous job as well. Woodley and Miller's reaction to their mother's death is devastating. An audience of all ages is capable of  feeling the hardship that each character has to face throughout this film. The movie also incorporates the environment and culture of Hawaii in a creative way. We see incredible shots of Hawaiian land and we realize that Hawaii isn't just a vacation spot. The soundtrack also reflects the culture of Hawaiian people. Ultimately, the experience is very enlightening. The Descendants is an academy award winner because each performance is real. I would highly recommend this film to anyone seeking a movie that is heartfelt and genuine.