TIFF Review: THE DESCENDANTS
Written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash Directed by Alexander Payne Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley and Judy Greer Matt King: I’m the back-up parent, the understudy. It has been seven years since Alexander Payne’s last feature film, SIDEWAYS , charmed critics and audiences alike. The long gestation period has allowed him to make what I would describe as his most satisfying film to date, THE DESCENDANTS . Considering how much I love his earlier films, like ELECTION and ABOUT SCHMIDT , calling his latest his greatest is not a compliment I extend lightly. At on point in THE DESCENDANTS , a character refers to Matt King’s (George Clooney) current predicament to be one heck of a “unique dramatic situation” and he is not kidding. Payne's witty screenplay finds every single important tie in Matt’s life has been tangled together and he can no longer move forward until he figures out how to loosen the ropes that are tightening around him. As the executor of his family...