Review: "The Descendants" R
George Clooney stars in a weepy picture set in Hawaii where his wife is a coma and he learns of her sordid past and attempts to come to grips with two rebellious daughters. Naturally critics fawned over this, a crowd pleasing weepy with some occasional jokes and a cursing child in it. Not in wide release until Oscar time, it made a good amount when people finally saw it, but it is not the best of the year. Standing on the fence with this one, as it pushes the buttons to get in an Oscar, it is nothing original. Terms of Endearment far exceeded it a generation ago, and even Places in the Heart, or some of the various 'my wife is dying' movies from the 1980s. It is a bit more honest than 50/50, another drama comedy with some ailment (that time cancer, but because he lives in that movie, it's not Oscar bait). Actually Clooney isn't half bad, playing the usual sad sack but a little spunky, essentially doing a take on his aged E/R character. If this had been an E/R TV movie it would have been fine, and may have garnished an Emmy. But this isn't supposed to be E/R and Clooney nature ally can only play...Clooney. It is funny one of the girls is wearing a shirt with his name on it. Talk about breaking the fourth wall. (That's when you as an actor make a reference to the audience about your role). So it's not a bad movie. It has moments. It is probably not worth owning though, unless it happens to be on the bargain bin sometime next year.
It really didn't need to be rated R. The swearing normally doesn't bother me in movies, but really here it totally wasn't necessary.
Review by Adam Browne
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