The Descendants, written (with others) and directed by Alexander Payne

The Descendants, written (with others) and directed by Alexander Payne

A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:

-              https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E  and   http://realini.blogspot.ro/

This is an excellent story.

It is very good comedy, but there are serious themes within.

George Clooney is phenomenal.

He has reminded me of his roles in

-          Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? And Burn After Reading

George Clooney is Matt King in this film.

He is on the verge of making a lot of money, if he goes through with a land deal.

The cast is exceptional and the location is superb.

- Hawaii

This where cousins and others have the opportunity to sell some land so that a big project would take off.

Only Clooney needs to think about it.

And while he is at it, the audience is invited to meditate on subjects like:

-          Protecting the environment

-          Fidelity

-          Going back to the roots

-          Euthanasia

Elizabeth, Matt King's wife is dying.

She has had a terrible boating accident and lived for some time with the support of machines.

But she has been unplugged.

In two days she will die.

If it is even conceivable, there is more misery for Matt King.

He finds out that his soon to be late wife has been having an affair.

So the grieving, flabbergasted spouse sets off to meet the guy.

And it makes for an incredible combination of hilarity and tragedy.

George Clooney is so wonderful as he meets the rival running on the beach.

Matt King starts running back after his enemy in a rather ridiculous manner.

Once he found where he spends his vacation, which happens to be a villa that belongs to the larger King family, he has to find a way to communicate.

All the family is waiting on the beach for the opportunity.

Through the wife, they manage to find a sort of pretense and there is a confrontation:

-          Did she love you?

-          Yes.

-          Did you love her?

....

-          You didn't love her you son of a bitch.

One more question:

-          Did you ever get into my bedroom?

-          Mhm...once

-          You could have had the decency to lie about this one...!

-          Ok, twice.

The lover is invited to come and say goodbye, if he wishes to.

I thought that odd and cavalier.

Too generous is my angle

But there is a surprise.

His wife shows up at the hospital.

There are other tense, sometimes jocular moments.

The parents of Elizabeth come to the death room and the father keeps saying

-          Elizabeth deserved so much more!

-          She was a loving, faithful wife!

-          Yeah, right