Vacation destinations aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. Have you been to Florida lately? It’s essentially a criminal population. It’s America’s Australia.And then there’s Hawaii. In the opening scene of The Descendants, George Clooney’s character criticizes the view taken by most mainlanders that to live in Hawaii is to spend your days drinking Mai Tais and waxing a surfboard, free from the troubles of the world. According to Matt, this is absurd, as pain follows us wherever we are.
This grim view of paradise provides for the best acting George Clooney has ever done. He’s incredible, showing a range of every emotion.
Alexander Payne, one of my favorite writer/directors, likes to show that life can suck sometimes, and did it really well with Sideways and Election. Combine Payne with my favorite actor, Clooney, and the planets have lined up for what is arguably the best film of the year.
The Descendants is awesome. See it – preferably somewhere on the mainland, in one of the 48 good states.
