Should I watch The Descendants Reviews, Reasons to watch, Stream It or Skip It?

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Positive Reviews 215

Negative reviews 24

Average Rating 3.8/5

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As it is, its hard to derive much from the movie beyond the moment to moment drama of the protagonists predicament. Av Club

Another beautifully chiseled piece of filmmaking sharp, funny, generous, and moving that writes its own rules as much as About Schmidt or Sideways did .. EW

We get vested in the lives of these characters. Thats rare in a lot of movies. We come to understand how they think and care about what they decide. Rogerebert

Descendants is decent family fare, and with the exception of one tense scene, its a fine pick for just about any age. Common Sense Media

The Descendants tackles some of the prickliest issues a contempo family can face with such sensitivity that its hardly noticeable youre being enlighte .. Variety

The story is clearly the sum of Paynes past screenplays and their themes. We Got This Covered

Its a warm exercise in gentle observation, modest laughs and easy compassion, but it lacks the incision to make a major impact as drama or comedy. Time Out

Seven years after the Academy Award winning Sideways, Payne has made not only what may be his best film, but one of the very best films on the subject ..

Part Coen brothers and part James L. Brooks, Alexander Payne makes comedies about serious stuff like abortion and midlife crises.

A tough, tender, observant, exquisitely nuanced portrait of mixed emotions at their most confounding and profound all at play within a deliciously dam ..

After a five year wait since Sideways, Alexander Payne has made his best film yet with The Descendants. The Hollywood Reporter

The Descendants is beautifully shot (by Phedon Papamichael) and compellingly performed, especially by its young stars, and it has moments of startling ..

Everything is oddly laid back in The Descendants, an adult and somewhat depressing drama set in Hawaii. E Film Critic

Although the film is filled with plenty of characters and incidents, it never feels rushed or overly crowded as it goes about its way. E Film Critic

Still, this is Paynes creation, and despite a loss of pace two thirds through, its a thoughtful, generous spirited work. Telegraph

But The Descendants is a film by Alexander Payne, the director of such cocoa bitter comedies such as About Schmidt and Election, and, for beleaguered .. Telegraph

It also deals with the raw emotions that life threatening moments stir up, a very rare bit of honest refection for an American movie.

Yet every time The Descendants seems about to suffocate in its own horse manure, Payne and Clooney come to the rescue and show you something so true a .. San Francisco Chronicle

Its not so much that Payne has a talent for finding comedy in the most unlikely places.

The Descendants wears its heart on its sleeve but is careful not to overdo it, resulting in a film thats as moving as it is witty and dark.Its simply .. Cinema Blend

Paynes observational humor and attention to detail yield something emotionally epic. Everything from beachfront jogs to hospital confessions reveals l .. Ny Daily News

Another winner for Clooney and Payne. Warmly funny, and life affirming. JoBlo

The hype actually does the movie a disservice, for the best way to enjoy The Descendants emotional balancing act is to keep expectations modest. The Globe And Mail

Clooney and the elder daughter (Shailene Woodley) give Oscar worthy performances in this hard knocks film that will have you laughing one moment and s .. The Globe And Mail

The Descendants screenplay, an adaptation of the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, is perhaps the most rewarding of Paynes efforts. Philly

But Descendants finds its footing, hitting Paynes unique note of comedy/drama, and benefits greatly from some terrific third act appearances by actors .. Philly

Movie Review: The timing for this ones India release could not have been more apt: The Descendants made to the list of this years Academy Award nomina ..

Payne is an accomplished director who is able to keep many balls in the air at the same time. Spirituality And Practice

In its mixture of wit, warmth, poignancy and perceptiveness, its a worthy addition to Paynes remarkable string of winners. One Guys Opinion

Despite the large, and talented, cast that Payne has assembled, The Descendants revolves entirely around its supremely amiable star. Village Voice

At times, Payne stumbles and takes us out of this engaging but slight tale. Rogers Movie Nation

This surprisingly warm feel good film about coping with a tragic loss takes place over about a weeks time. Sover

The Descendants may be director Alexander Paynes finest outing to date. ReelViews

Matt King is an indifferent husband and father of two girls, living in Hawaii, who is forced to re examine his past and embrace his future when his wi .. Blu Ray

But Payne has the ability to make something as rich and as joyous as Sideways, and The Descendants is not it. Combust Ible Celluloid

Alexander Payne won an Oscar for the screenplay of this clumsily written drama, in which characters keep explaining things that their listeners would .. Chicago Reader

In Clooney, The Descendants has a backbone of anguish and basic, human decency. Mark Reviews Movies

There is a whole lot going on in The Descendants and director Alexander Payne adapting the source novel (by Kaui Hart Hemmings) with Nat Faxon and Jim ..

There is a whole lot going on in The Descendants and director Alexander Payne adapting the source novel (by Kaui Hart Hemmings) with Nat Faxon and Jim ..

Paynes leisurely sensibilities result in a midsection that is certainly quite watchable, yet its hard to deny that the movie never quite manages to re .. Reel Film Reviews

While the story is a little complicated, it works well.The emotions in the film seem genuine and they come about by way of believable motivations. Lariat

But overall, this mature, well acted dramatic comedy is deeply satisfying, maybe even cathartic. Eric Ds Nider

Warm, subtle and gentle, The Descendants demonstrates what can happen when indie talent is nurtured to mainstream success. Radio Times

The Descendants puts Payne at five for five.Its been seven years since Payne directed Sideways, but he hasnt lost his touch. Rolling Stone

Payne lets the events play out gently, and the humane script beautifully grounds the strong emotions in earthy comedy. Shadows On The Wall

As ten year old Scottie tries to sort out the specter of her mother now, inert and silent following a water skiing accident, she faces questions she c .. Pop Matters

The best thing here is Clooney, cleverly dropping some of his mans man mannerisms to make Matt less of an idea and more of a human. Pop Matters

Neither the laughs nor the tears ever feel forced in The Descendants, and Payne masterfully elicits both along the way. The Wrap

As a result, its moving, thought provoking and heartwarming, while making some sharply observed comments about both grief and family/community respons .. View London

They head right into the sad and crazymaking humor of the situation.This is a modest marvel of a movie. Cs Monitor

Great movies like The Descendants dont only take an audience on an absorbing journey in the hands of a master director like Alexander Payne and a supe .. New York Post

Adapted by Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rush from the acclaimed novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendants is more a multi layered character study with .. Film Journal International ..

With so many balls in the air the temptation is to rush from one plot strand to another, but Payne takes the opposite approach. He also captures the c .. Az Central

But the story keeps you guessing as to where it will go, and it features some piercing moments of emotional truth. Boston

Alexander Paynes The Descendants is destined to be one of the seasons bigger hits. Mountain X

Theres nothing as sour as unearned sweetness, and Payne avoids the mawkish moments you expect. Star Tribune

It is the movie of the year, in many ways beyond its simple superlative overall excellence.

Cuz heres Matt King (George Clooney: The Ides of March, The American), whose life looks pretty charmed.

There are at least two scenes that are so touching theyll bring tears to your eyes, but in a cathartic way.Coming to think about it, the whole movie i .. Emanuellevy

Nothing gives me more pleasure than to welcome a new film by the gifted writer director Alexander Payne, especially as The Descendants, his first movi .. Guardian

Starring George Clooney as a wealthy Hawaiian lawyer whose wife is in a coma, The Descendants has a kind of surface difficulty, but is distinctly soft .. Guardian

Still, The Descendants, if not quite the Oscar sucker punch many anticipated, is a drama of unusual nuance.It lingers, spawns thoughts, connections, a .. Guardian

Its title referring to all the many present Kings and concretely to Scottie and Alexander, The Descendants is pleasant if easy cinema. Reel Talk Reviews

James Kendrick James Kendrick offers, exclusively on Qnetwork, over 2,500 reviews on a wide range of films. Q Network

This is a film of rare maturity, and may leave younger audiences cold. Daily Mail

But somewhere around the midpoint I found myself watching The Descendants with a sinking sensation of is that all there is aimlessness that I dont thi .. Slate

Its an unforgettable and wonderfully enjoyable experience that is thoroughly recommended.

Based on a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, the compelling screenplay by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash is painful, provocative and filled with sub .. Susang Ranger

Its worth seeing for the sharp but uneven human observations in the script and direction by Alexander Payne (Sideways), and sometimes its fun (but mos .. Observer

And if theres anyone whose direction can make all of that seem completely believable, horrifying, and hilarious at the same time, its Alexander Payne. Movies

Are you ready for a forgiving, humane Alexander Payne Hes pretty good at it, even if its new to him. Movies

(See Alexander Paynes Sideways in TIMEs top 10 sloppiest movie drunks.) Time

Writer director Alexander Paynes fruitful collaboration with Americas premier actors continues with The Descendants. Boston Herald

Alexander Paynes lovely, resonant fifth film does the hula on a lonely island of imminent death and wasted life, and receives an excellent transfer fr .. Slant Magazine

This hardly sounds like the recipe for laughs a mother in intensive care, a family falling apart but co writer and director Alexander Payne conjures u .. Express

The Descendants makes quality look easy.Its one of the years most pleasurable American movies. Chicago Tribune

Its smart and beautifully made, but Payne had the opportunity to punch the audience in the chest, and didnt take the shot.Pity. Bullz-Eye

The Descendants is the best movie Ive seen this year.I hope hordes of people go to see itand that it inspires other filmmakers. Blogs Indie Wire

You care for these people, who are utterly real. They also have great lines, such as paradise can go fuck itself. Blogs Indie Wire

Clooney is brilliant as the emotionally jolted hero of Paynes droll yet immensely moving film. In its perfectly wrought eloquence, it may be the best .. Blogs Indie Wire

A lot of The Descendants is affecting, but its mushier tone is often less emotionally resonant than the bitter sarcasm of Paynes earlier work. Las Vegas Weekly

If The Descendants occasionally slips a notch below Paynes highest standards, its a wry, intelligent look at the contradictions and complexities of hu .. Total Film

An introspective and heartwarming film, unafraid to convey its story with pleasing simplicity. Hollywood

I want to see the dream.But just because its not a travelogue for Hawaii is certainly not a reason not to go see this interesting, highly entertaining .. Tony Medley

Perhaps the best thing The Descendants has to offer is its depiction of Hawaii as a place like any other that only appears as a tropical paradise on t .. Coles Mithey

Few films have dealt with the concept of parental death as movingly, poetically and lovingly as this, delivering a strikingly powerful narrative that .. Movie Freak

There are a lot of really funny visual gags as well, and though it plays with some of the religious fanaticism one might find in places like Iowa, its ..

Paynes fifth featureafter Sideways, About Schmidt, Election, and Citizen Ruthmay be his least satisfying (in satirical terms, its relatively toothless .. Groucho Reviews

Its warm and human and beautifully made, and it is one more triumph in a long list of recent triumphs for George Clooney as a movie star and an actor .. Hit Fix

Its everything that a great film should be: beautifully acted and directed, funny, touching, heartbreaking and, most of all, true. Cnn

It is a magnificent performance that perfectly compliments Clooneys. Aisle Seat

Steven Spielberg has made 12.Certainly no one will ever accuse Payne of rushing things. Nj

Like many of Paynes films, The Descendants is casually paced and populated with well drawn characters who are maybe just a little cartoonish.George Cl .. Movie Habit

Look, the real wonder of WW84 is that this maybe isnt the worst thing about it. Film Freak Central

With a great role for a movie star, an idyllic setting and the best dialogue of the year this might be the years Oscar frontrunner. E Online

115 minutes.Director Alexander Payne makes films that are hard to classify. Maki At The Movies

At least audiences will believe the characters are authentically coping with the various issues (and Kings wealth doesnt interfere with his motif of a ..

The film is further complemented by a tremendously enjoyable ukulele dominated soundtrack. Cine Vue

BEST QUOTE: Matt: You give your children enough money to do something, not enough to do nothing..BEST BIT: Matt plants a smacker on a strangers lips. Mirror

Clooney has never been better, displaying more range and less actor ego than ever before... The Descendants would still be a splendid movie without hi .. Tamp A Bay

The Descendants finds Payne, now 50, having arrived in midlife with a new maturity, eschewing solipsism and snickers for a deeper engagement with the .. Kansas City

Its rare for a director to strike the right chord with every film but Alexander Payne has managed it. Flicks

Payne understands what brings people together and how they drift apart; he just presents this with a cinematic bow around it rather than with the natu .. Red Eye Chicago

In playing an everyman stranded between anger and duty, Clooney earns an emotional payoff that a lesser actor would simply demand. Stl Today

The Descendants is at its best when Clooney and Woodley are navigating emotions together. Cleve Land

Tough, touching and unsentimental, Paynes low key hymn to loving, losing and learning to move on is a pleasing addition to an impressive oeuvre. Dustin Put Man

Alexander Paynes The Descendants is a thoroughly enjoyable if somewhat forgettable, fairly faithful adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings 2007 novel about .. Ar Kansas Online

But the overall fuzzy feeling offered here doesnt feel natural in his hands. Larsen On Film

Like being ordered to have long hair and smile on stage, but wondering how to smile with a trombone in your mouth.Or repeatedly told youre not good en .. News Blaze

Ill say it flat out Alexander Paynes new film, The Descendants, is my favorite of the year, a movie that manages to be heart breaking and laugh out lo .. Hollywood And Fine

Its been 7 years since Alexander Payne last made a feature film.The Descendants is well worth the wait. Matts Movie Reviews

Matts kids, Alexandra, 17, and Scottie, 10, arent big fans of their often absentee father, either. Patriot Ledger

Telegraphs every emotional beat and holds the viewers hand every step of the way, giving us the most sanitised and programmatic version of catharsis i .. Antagony & Ecstasy

Despite the films tremendous performances and terrific camera work by Phedon Papamichael (Of course, how badly can you actually shoot Hawaii), theres ..

It was a major achievement for writer director Alexander Payne who proved that a story can be both tragic and hilarious. The Film Pie

Written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.Directed by Alexander Payne. Js Online

But these characters are also among the most three dimensional and fully defined of the comedy genre in the last twenty years. Hollywood Chicago

It sounds like a devastating family drama, but, at the same time, a bumbling road trip comedy, too, right.Well, thats the beauty of The Descendants; i .. Shockya

The last, touching final frame is worth the entrance price alone. Sky

George Clooney manages to turn in a career best performance as a father of two daughters in the Hawaiian set The Descendants. Solzy At The Movies

Understandable when dealing with Paynes typically directionless protagonists, The Descendants occasionally feels like it is unsure of where its going, .. The Shiz Nit

No, its not Sideways, but Alexander Paynes emotionally complex drama is hilarious and heartfelt in equal measure, boosted by a stellar turn from Georg .. What Culture

Payne once again feels his characters pain and this makes for something very special, an achingly sad comedy of errors. Bitly

Moving, thoughtful and frequently hilarious, its good to have Payne back. The Skinny

The Descendants is a heartfelt and tragic piece, but its also mature and very funny. Scots Man

Thats all to the films benefit, because The Descendents isnt a movie defined by action or plot, but by the honest and compelling emotion that Clooney .. No La

Its the kind of movie Alexander Payne makes best, and with The Descendants, he proves nobody else comes close in that department. Scene Stealers

Family Plot There are no dull Alexander Payne movies and the great news, following 2004s Sideways, one of the best films of the last decade, is that t .. The Ooh Tray

Clooney proves himself more than up to the broad emotional demands of the role. Dvd Talk

The mix of slapstick and pathos is exquisitely judged, but the viewer needs to be patient for the film to work its magic. Adjust to its rhythm, though .. What So

In a week likely to be dominated by an animated penguin sequel and yet another invasion of bloodless teen vampires, The Descendants offers the satisfa .. reason

Worth seeing for the outstanding performances from George Clooney and Shailene Woodley and a great advert for Hawaii. Film 4

This film feels very authentic, like the viewer is peeking in on a real family trying to cope with a difficult situation. Part of that credit belongs .. Bowling Green Daily News

I expected Crowes crowd pleasing approach to be more heart warming than Paynes. Streaming Quickflix

After his last feature, Mr. Payne was compared by some to Billy Wilder for his wit, and by others to Jean Renoir for his humanity. After this one Id c .. Wsj

Marked by stellar performances and an incisive screenplay, The Descendants packs a real Hawaiian punch. Clclt

The Descendants has a jaunty, energetic air about it. Its just the thing to lure you into the heart of a family tragedy. Jam! Movies

Even when he makes a small misstep he seems totally right.Payne is certainly one of our finest filmmakers. East Bay Express

Each year there are usually one or two films that dont deserve all of the insane praise they get (last years The Fighter is a prime example) and it lo ..

I think Giamatti would have made The Descendants a better film.He has an edge and a reservoir of neuroses that Clooney simply lacks. Tony Mack

Directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways), The Descendants is a beautifully personal and nuanced story about love, loss and family. Concrete Play Ground

January 26, 2012 09:57 IST Shaikh Ayaz raves about George Clooneys Oscar nominated film, The Descendants.A mong many things, The Descendants is a film .. Rediff

So far, so ordinary, in a picture (co written and directed by Alexander Payne) that tries to find its strength in commonplace behavior and which would .. New Republic

Payne is too acerbicmaybe too much of an assholeto settle for easy humanism. Ny Mag

Clooney, on the other hand, doesnt miss a beat, handling everything with befuddled acceptance. Ion Cinema

Many fans of director Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways) are raving about The Descendants. Review Express

But the emotional resolution is earned, the result of Payne having created characters with lives tangible beyond their narrative function. Fan The Fire Magazine

A non preachy exploration of the depth, width and complexity of life, love and relationships, and this great gift we call humanity. Tri City Herald

A seriously glum movie going experience, The Descendants is a hollow, lifeless shell of a film. Trespass Mag

The Screen Actors Guild will honor this film with a nomination for Best Ensemble Cast. Entertainment Spectrum

(Clooney) is at the top of his game in his scenes alone with the comatose Elizabeth. Asking questions that are unable to be answered, his pain at his .. Media Mikes

If there is a lighter side to Director Alexander Payne, The Descendants is it.For Payne, who gave us the vicious Election, the bleak About Schmidt, an .. Daily Film Fix

Director Alexander Payne is masterful at telling the story of the huge life transition. Theepoch Times

A dramedy directed by the same hands that helmed Sideways, The Descendants is one of the years best movies. Its a grownup look at loss and betrayal, w .. Qc Times

Payne has mastered the knack of balancing moods and tone, leavening complex emotional moments with sometimes downright goofy humor. Boston Phoenix

Alexander Payne takes the easy way out time and again in The Descendants, a tale that wants to be mature but cant help shortchanging its drama through .. Nicks Chager

As ever, Payne adapting a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings walks a fine line between caricature and compassion. New York Time Out

Dwells on how, just beneath the surface of that teen who seems a shrugging idiot or that woman who seems an everyday mom, there rustles an undergrowth .. Vue Weekly

Its very rare for me to not root, simply to enjoy, even if enjoyment meant wishing I would have brought some tissues.It is great work by George Cloone .. The Scorecard Review

Even as Paynes weakest film, The Descendants is still worth seeing Vulture

Underscoring it all, however, is the agony of watching a loved one die slowly; Clooney makes it look easy while pedaling from anger to bitterness to g .. Washington City Paper

This is a good film, like I said, which is often very funny, but it never quite feels true, and never quite satisfies. Spectator

One of the years best films, a bubbly meditation on family and responsibility that weighs just enough to matter. Detroit News

A family drama whose distinction comes primarily from its nuances and subtleties. Compuserve

It is a film that sneaks up on you when you least expect it riotously funny one moment and tender and moving the next. The Dispatch (Lexington, N ..

And in the hands of writer director Alexander Payne, Clooney has rarely seemed so much at home.With each subsequent movie (Citizen Ruth, Election, Abo .. Miami

The fact that Payne ascribes a deep, acerbic insight to the under aged demonstrates a devotion to ideas far more naive than those he mocks. World Wng

Were sorry, but this web site contains enhanced features not supported by the browser version you are currently using. Richard Roeper

This mature, well acted dramatic comedy is deeply satisfying, maybe even cathartic. Film.com

Its good, but far less than youd expect from the guy who started his career with the gleefully provocative Citizen Ruth and Election. Metro Times

Worth the wait. Dont stay away for so long next time though, Alex. Little White Lies

Still, Mr. Paynes undeniable knack for naturalism makes The Descendants a wholly persuasive and heartfelt experience. Critics Notebook

But in the skilled hands of Payne and Clooney, we identify with Matt completely. Aarp

A whole who, as we watch, find a kind of healing. And even grace. Saportare Port

It works like a charm...to the extent that ones critic self wants to resist the urge to break down why its working. MSN Movies

The Descendants is a fragile, melodramatic story that benefits in large part from a powerful performance by George Clooney.

Payne has a gift for lifes messiness, the mash ups of pain, humor, anger, terror, and longing that collide in the midst of big moments and domestic da .. Movie Mom

An ultra polished picture in which every emotion were supposed to feel has been cued up well in advance. Theres nothing surprising or affecting about .. Movie Line

It would all amount for nothing without top notch performances and Payne gets them in droves. Standard Net Au

Payne has substituted his usual scepticism for a huge quota of sentiment and schmaltz which, though undoubtedly appealing to a mainstream audience, se .. Patrick Nabarro

Belly laughs are balanced with tragedy and despair and Payne doesnt strike a single false emotional note, although he does allow sentimentality to cre .. Liver Pool Echo

The storyline for The Descendants sounds rather glum, but Payne manages to squeeze quite a bit of humor out of the scenario. Kc Active

No doubt the awards hype around the Descendants will get people into cinemas but it doesnt warrant the attention considering Paynes previous work and .. The Popcorn Junkie

Diminishing returns The Descendants is being touted as one of the better films on offer this year, and this confounds me.The fact that real estate dea .. The Tyee

It is a challenging and heartbreaking film that deserves an audience. Sa Current

It sneaks up on you emotionally, seemingly too wry and cool at first then accruing real depths and resonances as it goes along.Its contrast of gorgeou .. Blog Oregonlive

This is Payne, director of biting comedies like Election and Sideways, in a more contemplative and sentimental mood than weve ever seen him in. D Cist

The films central character (Reese Witherspoon), a conniving, ambitious and devoid of principles high school student, represents the movies sharpest e .. World Socialist Web Site

THE DESCENDANTS seems like too old fashioned and simple a story to get much attention. Leepers Us

The Descendants is a wonderful film, full of nuance and beleaguered humanity.Its also on the short list for best movie of the year. Blogs Houston Press

Audiences will argue about whether its a comedy or a drama, but theyll agree they saw a wonderful film. Host Madison

Paynes movies usually have some really funny bits but end up being kind of depressing in the end. Cines Nark

There are flashier directors working today, but Paynes position at the forefront of contemporary filmmaking comes from telling richly human stories fi .. New York Metro Mix

Paynes latest works best when it treads the middle ground and focuses on the King familys dysfunctional attempt to grapple with its meltdown. 7 Dvt

Becomes more enjoyable and somehow even looser as its plot tightens, and as the hand holding narration disappears. Commercial Appeal (Memphis ..

Director and co writer Alexander Payne again shows the most acute and perceptive understanding of the American psyche of any current director. Denton Record-Chronicle

The Descendants goes on too long, but thats its only flaw. And frankly, I can see why Payne and his editor decided to go with this print instead of ma .. Movie Metropolis

Paynes interest is the human drama: hes very much the director as novelist and The Descendants has all the satisfactions of a story well told. This Is London

And while its hardly revolutionising the world of political drama with its tale of sacrificed ethics and systemic corruption, you certainly cant deny .. Ultra Culture

What a pity the artistic trust (director/co writer Alexander Payne along with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash whose screenplay was based on Kaui Hart Hemmings .. James Wegg Review

With effortless dexterity, The Descendants bridges dark comedy with tragedy. The Reel Deal

Its a precarious balance, but Payne blends wit and poignancy so artfully it feels like an exquisitely choreographed dance. Rss Feeds Usa Today

George Clooney shows up for Oscar season more reliably than Elmer Fudd shows up for the first day of Rabbit Season (or maybe thats Duck Season)

Alexander Payne has been gone so long, its easy to forget just how good he is. With The Descendants, the directors first feature since 2004s Sideways, .. Dallas News

(George) Clooney gives a complex and complete performance as a man who put his career ahead of his family, and is stumbling to try to reconnect to mak .. Jc Online

This characteristically Paynean mix of painful and funny holds good for at least the first half of the film. Bfi

Decked out in island garb, Clooney delivers a truthful performance thats sometimes frantic, other times furious and more than occasionally goofy. Sign On Sandiego

For all of Clooneys coasting modes arrogant, smug, debonair it appears hes at his best when hapless and floundering. The Coast

There is humor throughout the movie, and Payne again shows a knack for using it to accentuate the drama rather than distract. Maki At The Movies Blogspo ..

Though the film offers a fine portrait of character growth, its allotted by the crime themed structure of the avenger film. Film International

In comparison to the wine buddy movie, almost eight years ago, The Descendants isnt as strong. NME

As an unsure father, more down to earth than hes been allowed to be in years.

Like Paynes other filmsCitizen Ruth, Election, etc.its both painfully insightful and unflinchingly honest, yet emotionally satisfying. Windy City Media Group

A very good movie, filled with precious, small, touching moments. I suspect that it will stay with you long after the credits fade. Ny 1

George Clooney, an actor who more often than not appears in exceptional projects, finds another gem in The Descendants. Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA) ..

Its far too whimsical about humanity, and far too entertaining, to ever overdo it. Yahoo Movies

Its not too often that a movie will resonate with you long after you leave the theater, but The Descendants is one of those movies. Wd Times

There has always been a great distance to overcome in the films of Alexander Payne, often the shorter lengths requiring more rigorous journeys. Moveable Fest

Descendants is a good film, with strong performances and some wonderfully human, funny moments. But with a sharper screenplay, it could have come all ..

There are too many times when you are not sure whether to laugh or be doleful or squirm. For example, the grandmother with Alzheimers who thinks shell .. Culture Catch

Nathalia owns a movies blog, The MovieMaven (http://themoviemaven.posterous.com).

Consider this film an early holiday present from Alexander Payne. Easy Reader News

The Descendants, the new film from Alexander Payne, is among the latter. Ticket Sarasota

A touching enough to recommend tale about an absentee fathers belated, if bittersweet, quest for redemption. Aalbc It

A large patch of the movies social contract are the Hawaiian notions of aina, malama and pono. It joins the short list we arent embarrassed to screen .. Hono Lulu Pulse

The genius of The Descendants screenplay, adapted by Payne and two other writers from a novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings, is not the sensibility given to t .. Blogs Crikey

THE DESCENDANTS is a decent and enjoyable film, but isnt compelling enough to fully draw you in, despite Clooneys best efforts This isnt to say there ..

George Clooney gives a wonderful lead performance in his new film The Descendants but Clooney has always been more than just a handsome face, hes a pr .. UTV

The perfect combination of dramedy, tragedy and familiar fallouts that simultaneously brings tears of joy and sorrow, with seemingly effortless effect .. Real.com

Matts been out of the parenting game so long that he really doesnt have a clue. Sarahs Back Stage Pass

A thoroughly rewarding assembled for adults dramedy that benefits immensely from both its island locale and one of George Clooneys finest performances ..

If more than several hours pass without your comment being approved, it has likely been blocked for some reason, so please feel free to try posting ag .. Ebert Presents

I kept expecting it to get better, but it just sort of did its thing and called it a day.

A heartbreaking story with satisfying emotional payoffs, and truly beautiful Hawaiian photography. Upper More Land

Paynes exploring new territory, but it also feels like hes holding himself back, attempting to evolve through repression. Philadelphia City Paper

I cant think of another movie this year that made me laugh or weep harder for the whole lumpy business of being the compromises and connections that g .. Feeds Boston

Overall, The Descendants is a lovely film with great performances from Clooney and Woodley.

Its Clooney and Woodleys movie, as they become a team before our eyes. Seattle Times

As is the way with Paynes films, we go away feeling that every man is an island and its only a matter of time before each of us finds ourselves desert ..

The master of modern America cinema is indeed back, with a suitably understated bang. Ed Gibbs

The Descendants just doesnt seem to me to have that much interesting or new to say My New Plaid Pants

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Clooney is remarkable in Alexander Paynes film about loss, confusion and getting by.

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