The Descendants, directed by Alexander Payne opens thirty two days after Elizabeth King is in a tragic boating accident leaving her in a coma and her ten and seventeen year old daughters and her distant husband (Matt king played by the brilliant Gorge Clooney) to pick up the now shattered pieces of their former life. On top of his comatose wife and misbehaved kids, King has a land deal to manage as the trustee of his large Hawaiian family, every since his father’s death as well.

However it is only after he receives the news that Elizabeth will never recover that he is able to put both the land deal, work and extended family on hold and pick up his rebellious eldest child, from boarding school and is suddenly forced to go from “back up parent” to role model.

After picking up Alex from school she revels to both him that before the accident Elizabeth had been having an affair. After hearing of his wives betrayal, King rushes to chase after the other man with the help of his daughter, bringing ten year old scottie along for the trip disguised as a family vacation.

It is here that the newly formed family truly begins to bond and slowly transition into their new lives together.

Overall the story is is not only beautifully acted, written and directed, but manages to add a subtle but meaningful layer of depth into what family really means in a unique way that few, if any other films achieve.