Skip to content
The Descendants

File:Descendants_film_poster.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ273686· pop 53· linked from 497 articles

The Descendants

Sign in to save

Also known as Descendants, Family Tree

2011 film directed by Alexander Payne

AI overview

"The Descendants" is a 2011 film directed by Alexander Payne that explores family dynamics and personal transformation. The film is notable as a significant work from acclaimed director Payne and represents an important entry in contemporary American cinema.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Film · TMDB

6.8

With his wife Elizabeth on life support after a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King takes his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai to confront a young real estate broker, who was having an affair with Elizabeth before her misfortune.

Released: 2011-09-09115 minDir: Alexander PayneComedy, DramaBudget: $20.0MBox office: $177M

Cast

  • George Clooney as Matt King
  • Shailene Woodley as Alexandra King
  • Amara Miller as Scottie King
  • Nick Krause as Sid
  • Patricia Hastie as Elizabeth King
  • Grace A. Cruz as Scottie's Teacher

Themes

  • daughter
  • infidelity
  • hawaii
  • father-in-law
  • beach house
  • boating accident
  • estate
  • dying mother
  • teenage daughter
  • trustee

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Ratings

IMDb

7.3/10

260,067 votes

Year
2011
Runtime
115 min
Genres
Comedy, Drama

via IMDb

Key facts

Directed by
Alexander Payne
Screenplay by
Alexander Payne Nat Faxon Jim Rash
Based on
The Descendants , by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Produced by
Jim Burke Alexander Payne Jim Taylor
Starring
George Clooney Shailene Woodley Beau Bridges Judy Greer
Cinematography
Phedon Papamichael
Edited by
Kevin Tent
Production company
Ad Hominem Enterprises
Distributed by
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release dates
September 10, 2011 ( 2011-09-10 ) ( TIFF ) November 18, 2011 ( 2011-11-18 ) (United States )
Running time
115 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$20 million
Box office
$177.2 million

via Wikipedia infobox

~8 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The Descendants is a 2011 American tragicomedy film directed by Alexander Payne. The screenplay by Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash is based on the 2007 novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings. The film stars George Clooney in the main role, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller in her film debut, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, Michael Ontkean, Matthew Lillard, and Robert Forster, and was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in the United States on November 18, 2011, after premiering at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2011.

Tracing the journey of attorney and land baron Matt King, who struggles with unexpected occurrences in his monotonous life, The Descendants was a critical and financial success, grossing $177 million against a $20 million budget and receiving acclaim for the performances of Clooney and Woodley, Payne's direction and writing, and Kevin Tent's editing. The film was nominated for five Oscars at the 84th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Payne, and Best Actor for Clooney, winning one for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also won two Golden Globe Awards; Best Picture – Drama and Best Actor – Drama for Clooney.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “The Descendants” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (7)