The Descendants Explained

The Descendants
Director:Alexander Payne
Cinematography:Phedon Papamichael
Editing:Kevin Tent
Studio:Ad Hominem Enterprises
Distributor:Fox Searchlight Pictures
Runtime:115 minutes[1]
Country:United States
Language:English
Budget:$20 million[2]
Gross:$177.2 million[3]

The Descendants is a 2011 American comedy-drama film[4] [5] directed by Alexander Payne. The screenplay by Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash is based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings. The film stars George Clooney in the main role, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller in her film debut, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, and Robert Forster, and was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in the United States on November 18, 2011,[6] after premiering at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2011.[7]

Tracing the journey of attorney and land baron Matt King, who struggles with unexpected occurrences in his monotonous life, The Descendants was a critical and financial success, grossing $177 million against a $20 million budget and receiving acclaim for the performances of Clooney and Woodley, Payne's direction and writing, and Kevin Tent's editing. The film was nominated for five Oscars at the 84th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Payne, and Best Actor for Clooney, winning one for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also won two Golden Globe Awards; Best Picture – Drama and Best Actor – Drama for Clooney.

Plot

Matthew "Matt" King is a Honolulu-based attorney and the sole trustee of a family trust of 25000acres of pristine land on Kauai. The land has great monetary value, but is also a family legacy. While Matt has ably managed his own finances (as his father did), most of his cousins have squandered their inheritances. With the trust expiring in seven years due to the rule against perpetuities, the King clan is pressuring Matt to sell the land for hundreds of millions of dollars. Amidst these discussions, a boating accident has rendered Matt's wife, Elizabeth, comatose. With Elizabeth hospitalized, Matt is forced to cope with his two troubled daughters, 10-year-old Scottie, who seeks attention by bullying other children, and 17-year-old Alex, who has a history of substance abuse and is away at a private boarding school on the Big Island. Doctors determine that Elizabeth's coma is irreversible and her living will directs all life support to be discontinued. When Matt tells Alex, she reveals she learned during her last visit that Elizabeth was having an affair, causing a major rift between mother and daughter.

Two close family friends, Kai and Mark Mitchell, tell Matt that Elizabeth was unhappy and loved Brian Speer, a real estate agent, and wanted a divorce. After Matt informs friends about Elizabeth's condition so they can say goodbye, he decides Brian should also have an opportunity to do the same. He and the girls, along with Alex's slacker friend Sid, travel to Kauai to find Brian. While there, Matt's cousin, Hugh, mentions that Brian is brother-in-law to Don Hollitzer, the developer to whom the majority of the family wants to sell the land. Brian stands to make a small fortune from the sales commission. Matt privately confronts Brian and informs him Elizabeth is dying, and offers him an opportunity to say goodbye. Brian says Elizabeth loved him, but he only saw her as a fling and still loves his wife and children, then apologizes to Matt for the pain he caused.

Frustrated and fragile from recent events, Matt asks the doctor to explain Elizabeth's inevitable death to Scottie. Elizabeth's father, Scott, admonishes Matt for failing to be a more generous and loving husband. Withholding his wife's affair, Matt agrees with him, but Sid and Alex unexpectedly defend Matt. At the King family meeting, Matt overrules the majority vote of his cousins, deciding instead to keep the land and look for a way around the rule against perpetuities. Shocked, Hugh tells Matt that the family will take legal action, but Matt is undeterred.

After learning about Brian's affair with Elizabeth, his wife, Julie, comes to the hospital. She tearfully tells a comatose Elizabeth that she wants to hate her for "trying to destroy" her family, but that she forgives her. Matt comes to terms with his wife's infidelity and impending death. He kisses her goodbye, followed by Alex and Scottie. After she dies, they scatter Elizabeth's ashes in the ocean off Waikiki.

Later, Matt, Scottie and Alex eat ice cream together as they watch March of the Penguins, covering themselves in a blanket that Elizabeth had at the hospital.

Production

The film began its on-location shoot in Hawaii on March 15, 2010.[8] Most of the film was shot in Honolulu and around Hanalei Bay.[9] The location used as Matt King's house lacked the banyan tree described in the book; the filmmakers solved the issue by transplanting a banyan. For the scene where the King family drives up to a ridge to look over their land, the film used a private cattle ranch on the south shore of Kauai, Kipu Ranch. Kaui Hart Hemmings, the author of the novel on which the movie was based, had a cameo as Matt King's secretary.

The private boarding school attended by Alex King was depicted as Mid-Pacific Institute, which is in Honolulu, Oʻahu. Kaui Hart Hemmings stated that Hawaii Preparatory Academy, which is located in Kamuela, Hawaiʻi (the Big Island), was the inspiration for the private boarding school.[10]

Postproduction began on June 14, and continued into February 2011.[11] The film was screened at the Telluride, Toronto[12] and New York film festivals and was originally scheduled to have a limited release on December 16, 2011, but was moved to November 23, 2011,[13] and then November 18, 2011.[14]

The soundtrack uses Hawaiian music, featuring artists including Gabby Pahinui, Ray Kane, Keola Beamer, Lena Machado, Sonny Chillingworth, Jeff Peterson, Makana, Dennis Kamakahi, and Danny Carvalho. It was released by Sony Classical Records on November 15.[15]

Reception

Box office

The Descendants opened in North America on November 16, 2011, in a limited release in 29 theaters, and grossed $1,190,096, averaging $41,038 per theater and ranking 10th at the box office. The film then had its wide release on December 9 in 876 theaters, and grossed $4,380,138, averaging $5,000 per theater and ranking seventh at the box office. The film was in cinemas for 156 days and its widest release in the United States was 2,038 theaters. The film ended up earning $82,584,160 domestically and $94,659,025 internationally for a total of $177,243,185.[3]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 87% based on 268 reviews, with an average rating of 8.10/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Funny, moving, and beautifully acted, The Descendants captures the unpredictable messiness of life with eloquence and uncommon grace."[16] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[17] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[18]

Top ten lists

The Descendants has appeared on these critics' top-10 lists for the best films of 2011:

CriticPublicationRank
The Hollywood Reporter 1st[19]
Betsy Sharkey Los Angeles Times1st
Don Kaye MSN Movies1st
The New York Times1st
Hollywood & Fine1st
Joe Neumaier Daily News2nd
Ann Hornaday The Washington Post2nd[20]
Rolling Stone 3rd[21]
Corben Carpenter Corben Carpenter's Top Ten Lists3rd
Chicago Tribune4th
IndieWire4th
The Christian Science Monitor5th
Entertainment Weekly6th
Sean Axmaker MSN Movies6th
The New Yorker7th
Peter Hartlaub San Francisco Chronicle7th
Jaime N. Christley Slant Magazine7th
Peter Paras E! Online7th[22]
Richard T. Jameson MSN Movies9th
MTV9th
Jack Gregson ScreenGeeks UK9th

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Academy AwardsFebruary 26, 2012Best PictureJim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor[23]
Best DirectorAlexander Payne
Best ActorGeorge Clooney
Best Adapted ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Best Film EditingKevin Tent
Argentine Academy of Cinematography Arts and Sciences Awards2012 Best Foreign Film Alexander Payne, Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, and Jim Taylor[24]
American Film Institute2011Movies of the Year[25]
Art Directors Guild2012Excellence in Contemporary FilmJane Anne Stewart[26]
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television ArtsJanuary 27, 2012Best Film – International[27]
Best Screenplay – InternationalAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Best Actor – InternationalGeorge Clooney
Boston Society of Film CriticsDecember 11, 2011Best ActorGeorge Clooney[28]
Best Use of Music in a Film
British Academy Film AwardsFebruary 12, 2012Best FilmJim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor[29]
Best ActorGeorge Clooney
Best Adapted ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Casting Society of America2012Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Big Budget Drama FeatureJohn Jackson, John McAlary[30]
Chicago Film Critics AssociationDecember 19, 2011Best Picture[31]
[32]
Best DirectorAlexander Payne
Best ActorGeorge Clooney
Best Supporting ActressShailene Woodley
Best Adapted ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Most Promising PerformerShailene Woodley
Critics' Choice Movie AwardsJanuary 12, 2012Best Picture[33]
Best ActorGeorge Clooney
Best Supporting ActressShailene Woodley
Best Young Actor/ActressShailene Woodley
Best Acting EnsembleCast
Best DirectorAlexander Payne
Best Adapted ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Detroit Film Critics Society2011Best Film[34]
Best ActorGeorge Clooney
Breakthrough PerformanceShailene Woodley
Florida Film Critics Circle2011Best Picture[35]
Best Supporting ActressShailene Woodley
Best Adapted ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Golden GlobesJanuary 15, 2012[36]
Alexander Payne
George Clooney
Shailene Woodley
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Grammy AwardsFebruary 10, 2013Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media[37]
Independent Spirit AwardsFebruary 25, 2012[38]
Alexander Payne
Shailene Woodley
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Los Angeles Film Critics AssociationDecember 11, 2011Best Film[39]
Best ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
MTV Movie AwardsJune 3, 2012Best Breakthrough PerformanceShailene Woodley[40]
National Board of Review2011[41]
George Clooney
Shailene Woodley
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
New York Film Critics OnlineDecember 11, 2011Best ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash[42]
Online Film Critics SocietyJanuary 2, 2012[43]
George Clooney
Shailene Woodley
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Palm Springs International Film FestivalJanuary 5–16, 2012Chairman's AwardGeorge Clooney [44]
Producers Guild of AmericaJanuary 21, 2012Best Theatrical Motion PictureJim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor[45]
Screen Actors GuildJanuary 29, 2012Beau Bridges, George Clooney, Robert Forster, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Shailene Woodley [46]
George Clooney
Satellite Awards[47]
George Clooney
Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics AssociationDecember 5, 2011Best ActorGeorge Clooney[48]
Best Adapted ScreenplayAlexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Best Film
Best DirectorAlexander Payne
Best Supporting ActressShailene Woodley

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Descendants (15) . British Board of Film Classification. September 27, 2011. December 10, 2011.
  2. Web site: Box office: The Descendants (2011) . . December 22, 2012.
  3. Web site: The Descendants . . Box Office Mojo. February 26, 2011.
  4. Web site: *The Descendants . December 2011 .
  5. Web site: "The Descendants": Clooney's Oscar-worthy role as a Hawaiian dad . September 14, 2011 .
  6. News: 'Descendants' gets earlier bow: Clooney starrer beats Thanksgiving glut with Nov. 18 rollout. https://web.archive.org/web/20110915221329/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118042405 . September 15, 2011 . September 7, 2011 . September 15, 2011. Variety. Penske Business Media. Rachel. Abrams.
  7. Web site: Special Presentation: 'The Descendants': Alexander Payne . . September 15, 2011 . Cameron . Bailey . https://web.archive.org/web/20110915224815/http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/descendants . September 15, 2011 . dead . mdy-all .
  8. News: Jason . Guerrasio . Alexander Payne's 'The Descendants' Begins Shooting . . March 15, 2010 . October 29, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100323033843/http://filmmakermagazine.com/news/2010/03/alexander-paynes-the-descendants-begins-shooting/ . March 23, 2010. live.
  9. Web site: The Descendants: Production Notes. Fox Searchlight Pictures. June 26, 2018. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120703075111/https://www.visualhollywood.com/movies_2011/descendants/notes.pdf. July 3, 2012.
  10. News: Jeanne . Cooper . 'The Descendants' author highlights Hawaii's less-exotic side . . November 17, 2011 . January 5, 2015. Hearst Communications.
  11. News: Payne busy editing Hawaii family drama . Bob . Fischbach . . https://archive.today/20111127055435/http://www.omaha.com/article/20100718/ENTERTAINMENT/707189926/0 . dead . November 27, 2011 . July 18, 2010 . October 29, 2010.
  12. The Descendant premiere photos – 36th Toronto International Film Festival . 2011 . Lambert . Christine . DigitalHit . January 3, 2012 .
  13. News: Release Date Moves: Searchlight's 'The Descendants', CBS Films' 'The Woman In Black'. Deadline Hollywood. July 28, 2011. July 28, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110915230047/http://www.deadline.com/2011/07/release-date-moves-searchlights-the-descendants-cbs-films-the-woman-in-black/ . September 15, 2011. live. The Deadline Team. Penske Business Media.
  14. Web site: The Descendants . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110723155343/http://content.foxsearchlight.com/films/node/4365 . July 23, 2011 . October 29, 2010 . dead . mdy-all . blogger. December 22, 2010.
  15. Web site: 'The Descendants' Soundtrack Announced. October 9, 2011. October 11, 2011. Film Music Reporter. filmmusicreporter.
  16. Web site: The Descendants (2011). Fandango Media. Rotten Tomatoes. September 1, 2021.
  17. Web site: The Descendants Reviews. . Metacritic. June 25, 2018.
  18. Web site: The Challenger to The Artist is The Descendants . . December 27, 2011 . September 5, 2020.
  19. Web site: 2011 Film Critic Top Ten Lists (Updated Jan. 11) . Jason . Dietz . . . December 8, 2011 . December 24, 2011.
  20. News: Ann Hornaday's best films of 2011 . Ann . Hornaday . . December 10, 2011 . December 24, 2011.
  21. 10 Best Movies of 2011: The Descendants. Peter . Travers . . December 8, 2011 . December 24, 2011.
  22. Web site: Paras. Peter. Top 10 Movies of 2011. E! Online. E! Entertainment Television. December 25, 2011. December 16, 2011.
  23. Web site: Nominees for the 84th Academy Awards. January 27, 2012. Oscars.org. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
  24. Web site: PREMIO SUR - 2012 - Ganadores. Argentine Academy of Cinematography Arts and Sciences Awards. es. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121214021310/http://academiadecine.org.ar/2012-ganadores.php. December 14, 2012.
  25. News: 'Bridesmaids,' 'Tree of Life,' 'Hugo' in AFI's top 10 films of 2011. Los Angeles Times. December 11, 2011. December 11, 2011. Julie. Makinen.
  26. News: Kilday. Gregg. Art Directors Nominate Movies as Different as 'Harry Potter' and 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'. The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. January 15, 2012. January 3, 2012.
  27. Web site: Inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards: Winners & Nominations. Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. February 4, 2012. January 31, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160123084200/http://aacta.org/media/174991/all%20inaugural%20samsung%20aacta%20awards%20winners%20and%20nominees.pdf. January 23, 2016. mdy-all.
  28. Web site: Pond. Steve. Martin Scorsese Named Best Director by Boston Film Critics. TheWrap. December 11, 2011. December 11, 2011.
  29. Web site: Film in 2012 . August 4, 2019 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20190101130529/http://awards.bafta.org/award/2012/film . January 1, 2019 .
  30. Web site: Casting Society of America Announces Artios Awards Nominees. The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. THR Staff. December 9, 2012. August 20, 2012.
  31. Web site: Tree of Life Leads CFCA Nominations with 7; Descendants, Drive Follow with 6. Chicago Film Critics Association. January 6, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120111135646/https://chicagofilmcritics.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74:tree-of-life-leads-cfca-nominations-with-7-descendants-drive-follow-with-6&catid=3:newsflash&Itemid=65. January 11, 2012.
  32. Web site: CFCA Names Tree of Life Best Picture. Chicago Film Critics Association. January 6, 2012. dead. January 8, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120108014106/http://www.chicagofilmcritics.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75:cfca-names-tree-of-life-best-picture&catid=3:newsflash&Itemid=65. mdy-all.
  33. Web site: 17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards (2012). Critics' Choice Awards. December 13, 2011. December 13, 2011. Website Administrator. Broadcast Film Critics Association. January 8, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130108023529/http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/17th-annual-critics-choice-movie-awards-2012/. dead.
  34. Web site: The 2011 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards. Detroit Film Critics Society. December 9, 2012.
  35. Web site: Florida Film Critics swoon for 'The Descendants'. The Miami Herald. January 6, 2012. December 19, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120324151231/http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/19/2553179/florida-film-critics-swoon-for.html. March 24, 2012. Miami Herald Media.
  36. David . Germain . . The Artist Leads 2011 Golden Globe Nominations With Six Bids . . December 15, 2011 . January 16, 2012.
  37. Web site: Brooks. Brian. 'The Hunger Games' And 'The Muppets' Top Grammy Awards Movie Nominees. Movieline. PMC. December 6, 2012. December 6, 2012.
  38. Web site: "Take Shelter" and "The Artist" Lead Spirit Award Nominations. Peter. Knegt. Steve. Greene . . . November 8, 2011 . January 16, 2012.
  39. Web site: 37th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards . . January 16, 2012 . July 4, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150704001210/http://www.lafca.net/years/2011.html . dead .
  40. Web site: Shailene Woodley Takes Breakthrough Performance At MTV Movie Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20120606231959/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1686403/shailene-woodley-breakthrough-performance-mtv-movie-awards.jhtml . dead . June 6, 2012 . Fallon . Prinzivalli . June 3, 2012 . . . June 3, 2012.
  41. Web site: Coyle . Jake . Scorsese's 'Hugo' Named Best Film By NBR Awards – From the Wires . . Salon Media Group . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111203134205/https://www.salon.com/2011/12/01/scorseses_hugo_named_best_film_by_nbr_awards/ . December 3, 2011 . December 1, 2011 . January 16, 2012.
  42. News: Pond. Steve. 'The Artist' Wins Another: NY Film Critics Online. Thomson Reuters. Reuters. December 11, 2011. December 11, 2011.
  43. Web site: Tapley. Kristopher. 'Tree of Life' leads with 7 nods from Online Film Critics Society. HitFix. Uproxx. December 26, 2011. June 26, 2018 .
  44. Web site: Pond. Steve. Clooney gets Palm Springs film festival Chairman's award. Thomson Reuters. Reuters. December 16, 2012. November 18, 2012.
  45. Web site: PGA Announces Theatrical Motion Picture And Long-Form Television Nominations For 2012 PGA Awards. Producers Guild of America. January 5, 2012. January 3, 2012. Kelly. Mullens. Brittany. Geldmacher. May 30, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120530154740/http://www.producersguild.org/news/80252/PGA-ANNOUNCES-THEATRICAL-MOTION-PICTURE-AND-LONG-FORM-TELEVISION-NOMINATIONS-FOR-2012-PGA-AWARDS.htm. dead.
  46. Web site: 'The Help' leads with four SAG Awards nominations . . Paul . Sheehan . . December 14, 2011 . January 16, 2012.
  47. Web site: 2011 Winners . International Press Academy. January 16, 2012.
  48. Web site: The 2011 WAFCA Awards . . January 16, 2012 . Tim. Gordon. December 5, 2011.

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