Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Descendants

  • 2011
  • R
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
246K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,543
56
George Clooney in The Descendants (2011)
A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident.
Play trailer2:21
21 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDrama

A land baron tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.A land baron tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.A land baron tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.

  • Director
    • Alexander Payne
  • Writers
    • Alexander Payne
    • Nat Faxon
    • Jim Rash
  • Stars
    • George Clooney
    • Shailene Woodley
    • Amara Miller
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    246K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,543
    56
    • Director
      • Alexander Payne
    • Writers
      • Alexander Payne
      • Nat Faxon
      • Jim Rash
    • Stars
      • George Clooney
      • Shailene Woodley
      • Amara Miller
    • 528User reviews
    • 548Critic reviews
    • 84Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 65 wins & 148 nominations total

    Videos21

    International Version
    Trailer 2:21
    Watch International Version
    TV Spot
    Trailer 1:08
    Watch TV Spot
    The Descendants: Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:18
    Watch The Descendants: Trailer #1
    'The Descendants' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:40
    Watch 'The Descendants' | Anniversary Mashup
    The Descendants
    Clip 1:23
    Watch The Descendants
    The Descendants
    Clip 1:24
    Watch The Descendants
    The Descendants
    Clip 0:41
    Watch The Descendants
    The Descendants
    Clip 0:42
    Watch The Descendants
    The Descendants: This Is Sid
    Clip 0:41
    Watch The Descendants: This Is Sid
    The Descendants: Who Is He?
    Clip 0:19
    Watch The Descendants: Who Is He?
    The Descendants: I Don't Know What To Do With Her (Uk)
    Clip 0:43
    Watch The Descendants: I Don't Know What To Do With Her (Uk)
    "Story"
    Featurette 3:46
    Watch "Story"

    Photos167

    Shailene Woodley in The Descendants (2011)
    George Clooney in The Descendants (2011)
    Shailene Woodley in The Descendants (2011)
    George Clooney in The Descendants (2011)
    Judy Greer in The Descendants (2011)
    George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, and Nick Krause in The Descendants (2011)
    Judy Greer and Shailene Woodley in The Descendants (2011)
    George Clooney and Alexander Payne in The Descendants (2011)
    George Clooney in The Descendants (2011)
    Alexander Payne in The Descendants (2011)
    George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, and Amara Miller in The Descendants (2011)
    George Clooney in The Descendants (2011)

    Top cast

    Edit
    George Clooney
    George Clooney
    • Matt King
    Shailene Woodley
    Shailene Woodley
    • Alexandra King
    Amara Miller
    Amara Miller
    • Scottie King
    Nick Krause
    Nick Krause
    • Sid
    Patricia Hastie
    Patricia Hastie
    • Elizabeth King
    Grace A. Cruz
    • Scottie's Teacher
    Kim Gennaula
    • School Counselor
    Karen Kuioka Hironaga
    • Barb Higgins
    Carmen Kaichi
    • Lani Higgins
    Kaui Hart Hemmings
    Kaui Hart Hemmings
    • Matt's Secretary Noe
    Beau Bridges
    Beau Bridges
    • Cousin Hugh
    Matt Corboy
    Matt Corboy
    • Cousin Ralph
    Matt Esecson
    • Cousin Hal
    Michael Ontkean
    Michael Ontkean
    • Cousin Milo
    Stanton Johnston
    • Cousin Stan
    Jon McManus
    • Cousin Six
    • (as Jonathan McManus)
    Hugh Foster
    • Cousin Wink
    Tiare R. Finney
    Tiare R. Finney
    • Cousin Connie
    • Director
      • Alexander Payne
    • Writers
      • Alexander Payne
      • Nat Faxon
      • Jim Rash
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Sideways
    7.5
    Sideways
    Up in the Air
    7.4
    Up in the Air
    Nebraska
    7.7
    Nebraska
    The Ides of March
    7.1
    The Ides of March
    About Schmidt
    7.2
    About Schmidt
    Michael Clayton
    7.2
    Michael Clayton
    Election
    7.3
    Election
    The Passion of Martin
    6.5
    The Passion of Martin
    Good Night, and Good Luck.
    7.4
    Good Night, and Good Luck.
    Walk the Line
    7.8
    Walk the Line
    50/50
    7.6
    50/50
    Thank You for Smoking
    7.5
    Thank You for Smoking

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Matt King describes his inherited wealth, he says, "I don't want my daughters growing up entitled and spoiled. And I agree with my father; you give your children enough money to do something but not enough to do nothing." This is based on a well-known quote from billionaire investor Warren Buffett in a 1986 Fortune magazine interview. "Setting up his heirs with a lifetime supply of food stamps just because they came out of the right womb can be harmful for them and is an antisocial act. To him the perfect amount to leave children is 'enough money so that they would feel they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing.'"
    • Goofs
      The resort models shown could not be built. Kaua'i's "coconut tree" building law states that new construction cannot be more than 4 stories tall.

      But this Princeville hotel is a real hotel because it's built on a hill. The Top floor is at ground level and the hotel is built with multiple stories going down to the Ocean.
    • Quotes

      Matt King: I don't want my daughters growing up entitled and spoiled. And I agree with my father - you give your children enough money to do something but not enough to do nothing.

    • Connections
      Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #2.17 (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Ka Makani Ka'ili Aloha
      Written by Matthew Kane

      Arranged and Performed by Gabby Pahinui

      Courtesy of Panini Records

    User reviews528

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Payne knows exactly what he's doing, and what he's doing is tremendous.
    Alexander Payne hasn't made a film from the director's chair since his incredible Sideways back in 2004. Seven years later, he finally returns, and with The Descendants, he returns with a bang.

    Like Sideways, his screenplay (co-written by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash) nails the tone right on the head. It has to balance out three tricky narratives in the film (Matt King's self-crisis, his comatose wife's affair with another man before her boating accident, and a land deal he's reported to make), and without the proper guidance it needed, along with Payne's own confidant direction, it could have faltered. Thankfully, it balances out heavy themes and complicated emotions in uncommon detail.

    The characters in this movie are many, complicated, and sorrowful in their own unique ways. Matt King was a perfect role for George Clooney. He keeps his composure, but we can still see a very heavy, filtered sorrow beneath the surface. Shailene Woodley's character (Woodley, by the way, gives one of the year's best performances) begins with a rebellious, even angry sadness, but we can see her develop over the course of the film, gaining a strong maturity beyond her years. Judy Greer and Robert Forster are each given a few spare scenes, and they make every second of their screen time count.

    It really is an emotional ride, even depressing sometimes, but I'm surprised by the occasional review I read where critics say they didn't feel the emotion to be sincere. In my opinion, the emotions of the film never hit a single false note. I don't think just anybody could have made this movie the way it is. This isn't a typical drama, the movie's genre is Payne, and he knows exactly what he's doing.

    ***1/2 out of ****
    helpful•90
    44
    • Ryan_MYeah
    • Jan 18, 2012

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ1

    • The movie is based on Kaui Hart Hemmings's debut novel. Have any other adaptations of debut novels had this much success?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 9, 2011 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tình thân
    • Filming locations
      • Hanalei, Kaua'i, Hawaii, USA(Matt & Hugh meeting at Tahiti Nui Restaurant, Speers beach cottage at 5032 Weke Road)
    • Production companies
      • Searchlight Pictures
      • Ad Hominem Enterprises
      • Dune Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $82,584,160
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,190,096
      • Nov 20, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $177,243,185
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 55 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Datasat
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    George Clooney in The Descendants (2011)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of The Descendants (2011) in Canada?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.