The Descendents

Though this film has been getting numerous nominations from critics and the golden globes alike, but this one was far from my favorite of the year. The plot was overall too depressing and not uplifting enough for me, sort of like Gone with the Wind, but worse because I simply didn't like any of the characters and at least Gone with the Wind had the sweet Melanie and Rhett, certainly terribly interesting, though Leslie was too weak and Scarlett was nothing more than a selfish crazy lady, pining after a guy who doesn't fell the same way.
In The Descendents, there is Matt King a wealthy landowner and lawyer who is bumbling through life after his wife, whom he has neglected as of late, Elizabeth is in a coma after having an accident on her boat. He struggles with his daughters, Scottie (the selfish brat of Amara Miller) and the crazy Alexandra (Shailene Woodley). Alexandra is unlikable for she just hates her mother so much, and she has her own issues, including sneaking out of her private school to drink illegally, but fortunately for all, she improves mightily after hearing some more bad news about her mother.
The main plot of this film is Matt finding out from Alexandra that his wife had been having an affair with another man, and Matt is determined to find this man and inform hims of his wife's tragic condition. Joining Matt and his daughters on the quest is Aleandra's childhood friend, Sid, an interesting guy to figure out. (On a side note, Sid's mother is just going to let him go off on this wild goose chase for find this other man, including letting him fly to another island. This issue just irked me throughout the whole film.)
George Clooney is great as Matt King, though I still feel like he was much better in Up in the Air (which also gave us a much newer, fresher idea), though he once again is playing a version sort of character. Woodley is sensational as his daughter and turning in great supporting performances is Robert Forster as the old, grumpy father-in-law and Judy Greer as the wife of cheating man.
Then there is the subplot of the large amount of land that Matt and his numerous cousins own, but it must be sold because the trust will expire in just seven years time. But the land must be sold and it will no longer be pure, instead it will be used to make money off of and the essence of it will be ruined forever. I felt that this subplot should have been explored more, but it gave the viewer as break from the comatose wife. Grade: A- (though I enjoyed it much less)