The Descendants (2011)
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An attorney and land baron must navigate the complexities of family legacy and personal betrayal following a tragic boating accident.
The story
Honolulu-based attorney Matt King is the sole trustee of a valuable piece of land on Kauai, which his family is pressuring him to sell. His life is upended when a boating accident leaves his wife, Elizabeth, in a coma. As Matt navigates the legal pressures from his relatives and the demands of his two troubled daughters, he must confront the reality of his wife's condition and the secrets she kept. The story follows his journey as he manages the family's land legacy while dealing with the immediate emotional fallout of the accident and the complexities of his daughters' lives.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Matt King, a Honolulu-based attorney, manages a valuable land trust on Kauai. When a boating accident leaves his wife, Elizabeth, in a coma, Matt faces pressure from his family to sell the land. Upon learning that Elizabeth had an affair with a local real estate agent named Brian, Matt travels to find him to allow for a final goodbye. During this time, Matt deals with his daughters: Scottie, who seeks attention through bullying, and Alex, who struggles with substance abuse. After a confrontation with his family regarding the land and a confrontation with Brian, Matt learns the truth of his wife's infidelity. He eventually comes to terms with her actions and her impending death. The film concludes with Matt and his daughters mourning Elizabeth, eventually finding a moment of peace together at home.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 115
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alexander Payne
- Writers
- Alexander Payne · screenplay; Nat Faxon · screenplay; Jim Rash · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- George Clooney · Matt King; Shailene Woodley · Alex; Beau Bridges · Scott; Judy Greer · Elizabeth
- Genres
- tragicomedy; comedy-drama
- Themes
- family legacy; infidelity; parenting; grief
- Tone and mood
- tragicomedy; moving
- Setting
- Honolulu and Kauai, Hawaii
- Premise and plot tags
- legal drama; family drama; romance; tragedy
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2007 novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings
- Content notes
- substance abuse
- Reception
- The film was a critical and financial success, receiving acclaim for the performances of Clooney and Woodley, Payne's direction and writing, and Kevin Tent's editing.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 88% · scale: percentage · review count: 268; Metacritic · score: 84 · scale: 100 · review count: 43
- Awards and nominations
- Oscar · Best Adapted Screenplay · win; Oscar · Best Picture · nomination; Oscar · Best Director · nomination; Oscar · Best Actor · nomination; Golden Globe · Best Picture – Drama · win; Golden Globe · Best Actor – Drama · win
- Production trivia
- The author of the original novel, Kaui Hart Hemmings, had a cameo as Matt King's secretary.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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