Page 30 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • December 7, 2011 Family assesses priorities in ‘The Descendants’ by Dennis Seuling In the opening narration of “The Descendants,” Matt King (Geoge Clooney) states that, contrary to common belief, Hawaii is not the heaven on earth many people believe it to be. Hawaii has crime, a homeless population, and people get cancer. Yet, when people see the beaches, the volcanic mountains, and the palm trees gently swaying in the ocean breezes, this 50th state seems one of the most idyllic places on the planet. Matt’s wife, Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie), has just suffered Matt King (George Clooney) and daughters (Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller) cope with a family crisis in ‘The Descendants.’ an accident and is hospitalized in a coma. Her prognosis is grim. He is faced with the tough task of helping his two daughters, the rebellious Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) and the younger Scottie (Amara Miller), face this reality. Matt is a lawyer born into a wealthy Hawaiian family. As trustee of a large family landholding, Matt is in the middle of negotiations to sell the land to competing real estate developers. The sale will bring in millions. When he learns his comatose wife was having an affair at the time of her accident, Matt becomes obsessed with discovering the identity of her lover. Director Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) effectively handles the many dramatic threads of the story. He guides the film at a leisurely pace so the assorted subplots blend effortlessly. The movie also benefits from realistic dialogue and well-faceted characters. Though Clooney is clearly the star, there also are excellent supporting performances. Robert Forster (“Jackie Brown”) plays Elizabeth’s father, Scott Thorson, a tough old man who is unafraid to say exactly what is on his mind. Though he blames Matt for his daughter’s predicament and is not above throwing a punch when confronted with fools, he is extremely gentle with his Alzheimer’s-afflicted wife, Alice (Barbara L. Southern). Matt is simultaneously respectful of and intimidated by his father-in-law. Scott resents Matt and openly criticizes him for not having been a proper husband to Elizabeth. Forster conveys the careworn air of a self-made man who hasn’t had the benefit of family wealth. Beau Bridges plays hard-drinking cousin Hugh, the eldest member of the King clan. With his long hair, floral print shirts, and pot belly, he is the image of a fellow who (continued on Crossword page)