The Descendants

Dir. Alexander Payne. 2011, 115 mins. DCP. With George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Robert Forster. Payne’s eagerly awaited follow-up to Sideways is a smart and moving dramatic comedy with a remarkable ensemble cast led by an Oscar-nominated George Clooney in his most affecting, down-to-earth performance. Clooney is Matt King, heir of a prominent Hawaiian land-owning family, whose life is overturned when his wife is critically injured in a boating accident. King suddenly finds himself raising his two daughters, while at the same time processing news of his wife’s adultery and dealing with questions of inheritance. Payne’s note-perfect balance of pathos and wild comedy is on full display, delineated with a sharp eye for the setting’s natural beauty and an unsparing look at how people tell themselves stories to make their lives bearable. Woodley broke through to stardom with her emotional performance as Matt’s fed-up teenage daughter. 

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.