THE DESCENDANTS

     GEORGE CLOONEY  SHAILENE WOODLEY  AMARA MILLER

AS THE MOVIE OPENS, MATT KING (CLOONEY)'S WIFE HAS HAD AN ACCIDENT AND IS IN A COMA.  IN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE TRAGEDY, KING GATHERS TOGETHER HIS FAMILY; HIS TWO DAUGHTERS: 17 YEAR OLD ALEXANDRA (WOODLEY) AND 10 YEAR OLD SCOTTIE (MILLER).  HIS GOAL IS TO REESTABLISH SOME SORT OF FATHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH OF THEM.  AS A SUB PLOT, KING IS DESCENDED FROM HAWAIIAN ROYALITY, AND HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SELLING THE LAST PARCEL OF LAND IN THEIR FAMILY. 
CLOONEY DOES A VERY GOOD JOB IN THIS MOVIE.  IT IS BASICALLY A STORY ABOUT HIS COMING OF AGE, THROUGH DEALING WITH THE TRAGEDY OF HIS WIFE, THE LAND DEAL AND TRYING TO BECOME A FATHER TO HIS DAUGHTERS.  ALONG THE WAY, HE FINDS OUT SOMETHING ABOUT HIS WIFE THAT SHOCKS HIM, AND CLOONEY'S REACTIONS SEEM VERY REAL AND VERY WELL DONE.  WOODLEY AND MILLER ALSO DO AN OUTSTANDING ACTING JOB: WOODLEY'S ALEXANDRA GOES FROM A TROUBLED TEEN TO A SUPPORTING DAUGHTER, ALTHOUGH IT SEEMED A LITTLE TO FAST AND EASY FOR ME, AND MILLER'S SCOTTIE PLAYS HER AGE VERY WELL, FROM WANTING TO BE LIKE HER SISTER TO FEELING THE LONLINESS OF NOT HAVING HER MOTHER THERE TO HELP HER.  KING'S DECISION CONCERNING THE LAND SELL FEELS RIGHT, AND BY THE END OF THE MOVIE, IT APPEARS HE HAS BECOME A GOOD AND CARING FATHER.  AS FOR THE END, IT IS VERY SATISFYING.  WATCH THIS MOVIE.
RATING  4 out of 5