The Descendants

We are only hours away from the announcement of the 2012 Oscar nominations. I’m sure there will be a few surprises as usual, but one certainty is that George Clooney will be nominated for his lead role in The Descendants. Deservedly so. The Golden Globe is already in the bag. This would be Clooney’s first Oscar for a leading role. He won for best supporting role in Syriana in 2006 and had nominations for Up In The Air (2010) and Michael Clayton (2007). In The Descendants he plays Matt King, a middle-aged man whose life is suddenly turned upside down by his wife being involved in a boating accident. As a result of the accident he learns that she had been having an affair. He is forced into closer contact with his two children, Alexandra and Scottie, two young girls brilliantly played by Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller. He confronts the man with whom his wife had the affair. At the same time he has to make an important decision about the disposal of some prime real estate. The Kings are descendants of an old, established Hawaiian family of landowners who go all the way back to King Kamehameha. Hawaii is one of the stars of this movie. It is set mostly on Oahu and Kauai. The scenery is stunning and you get a real sense of the value of preserving what little of the land remains unspoilt. The Descendants is directed by Alexander Payne, whose previous works include Sideways and About Schmidt. The theme here is similar to those movies, i.e. a man stuck in a rut and then driven through changed circumstance to confront and bring forth his better nature. It’s a deeply engaging and wonderfully crafted film. A career best (so far) for Clooney. Here’s holding thumbs for that Oscar.