Starring: George Clooney, Beau Bridges, Shailene
Plot: When the wife of Hawaiian property tycoon Matt King (George Clooney) lapses into a coma following a jet-ski accident, he finds himself looking after, and getting to know, two independent and headstrong daughters whose lives he knows nothing about.
TM Rating: Middle aged man’s wife is in a coma; the daughters he is subsequently landed with are strangers to him and he to them; a revelation rocks middle-aged man’s life.
That’s it, that’s basically the plot. Doesn’t sound exactly enthralling; if anything it sounds more like the TV Movie of the Week and the trailer doesn’t really do anything to dispel this notion.
But there are two clues that should give audiences the heads up that The Descendants is worth making the trip to the cinema for.
The first is that George Clooney is in it. George doesn’t make bad films and even when they’re not classics he is always watchable. George Clooney could read the phone book and it would be interesting.
The second is that The Descendants was written and directed by Alexander Payne, the person responsible for the delicious Sideways 7 or so years ago.
Like Sideways, The Descendants is a film about people and relationships and also like Sideways the movie ambles along at an easy pace allowing us time to enjoy the interaction between characters. The cast is perfect, especially George Clooney (playing down his super cool image by portraying a man who is really quite dull) and Shailene Woodley as his seventeen year old daughter.
The Descendants isn’t a comedy but it is funny, neither is it a drama but it is moving. In many ways it’s just like real life. If you’ve seen Sideways or any of Alexander Payne’s other movies (About Schmidt, Election) you’ll know exactly what to expect.
8/10 ““ The Descendants is for film fans who enjoy sharply written movies about people and relationships. It’s funny, sad, realistic and totally engaging. If you liked Sideways you’ll like The Descendants. But if you were one of those people who thought Sideways was dull, stay away.
Screening Times: 7.50pm daily from 24th February until 1st March at Cines Grand Sur, Costa Adeje.
Tickets: €6.50 Buy Your Tickets Here
NOTE: Still also showing at Grand Sur is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (5.40pm daily) whilst War Horse is still being screened at the Zentral Center in Playa de las Américas (8pm daily).
