MovieChat Forums > The Descendants (2011) Discussion > Did anyone else think this was just plai...

Did anyone else think this was just plain terrible?

posted 13 years ago by Boing_Boing
149 replies | jump to latest

-Awful narration and dialogue
-The plot was overflowing with cliches
-Most of the characters were simply stereotypes
-The story had absolutely no direction (the whole bit about the land had absolutely nothing to do with the plot about the wife)
-The "humor" was just plain shock value. This wasn't a dramedy; it was a drama with cussing and violence that I was apparently supposed to laugh at.

I could go into more detail, but really, I just want to know if other people also thought it was terrible. I think this is easily the worst movie I've seen this year (and I watched No Strings Attached and Gnomeo And Juliet). (EDIT: I just watched Thor. Thus, my last comment is no longer valid.) I saw this with two other friends, and when we left the theater, before I told them what I thought, I asked them what they thought, and they both said it was really bad.

How this has a higher rating on Rotten Tomatoes than The Help, Beginners, Jane Eyre, Barney's Version, etc. is beyond me.

[–] josebut8 13 years ago

Yeah, it was okay at best (acting wise)...but as a piece of story-telling it was Just Plain Terrible.

[–] Nobody-27 13 years ago

Yes, and for all the same reasons you mention!

[–] peachyevey 13 years ago

My husband and I are 31 and 27, respectively, and we both hated this movie. I gave it a 4. This is what I posted on Facebook the next day:

The Descendants: Another pretentious indie film starring an overrated George Clooney about an extremely dysfunctional family placed in a ridiculous and difficult situation featuring children who do and say extremely inappropriate things and get away with it. You are apparently meant to feel nothing for any of the characters other than a desire to get out of the theater as quickly as you can. What should have been a difficult, heartbreaking situation was turned into a comedic one in the most tasteless ways possible. Yup, this one is at least going to get a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay...

Really, I don't understand how this is one of the highest rated films of the year. There are far better films this year. Go see one of those.

[–] atlas_sort_of_shrugged 13 years ago

Given the genre of the films you decide to watch, I'm surprised you would even see this. And, given the genre of the films you watch, I'm not surprised you wouldn't like this film. Cheers.

[–] Neptuny 13 years ago

If I could, I would Like the crap out of that post.

Those kids WERE insufferable. That little girl would never get away with her cursing and bird-flipping in my house. These damn permissive parents are tainting the next generation.

"Ronnie the Bear Weasley, you are bravery, you are courage, you are chess. 1000 points!"

[–] targa9 13 years ago

I didn't like the movie either. But comedic? When was it comedic? The only time I smiled was when Clooney told his daughters they might not respect him by the way they talk to him, then he gave Alex a 'look'. The rest of the movie was serious, serious, esp. compared to Payne's other works.

[–] Kaitain4791 13 years ago

No, it was not plain terrible.

I'd give it a 7.

[–] IamUnwritten 13 years ago

Absolutely not, I loved everything about the movie. I thought the casting was great, especially Clooney and Shailene Woodley. I'm not that surprised that Shailene, Clooney, and the movie were all nominated for the Golden Globes.

[–] petegatt 13 years ago

I wouldn't say terrible but i will say very average

[–] ken68imdb 11 years ago

Gotta admit, I don't believe it lived up to the usual Payne standards. Certainly didn't deserve to be on all the top 10 lists. Glad I'm not alone.

Whatever you wish for me, I hope you have twice as much.

[–] coastergeek93 13 years ago

Walking out of the theater I thought that this was pretty unremarkable. Definitely not terrible, but unremarkable. The week after I saw this my Mom became very sick and was in the hospital for a while, and it really made me think about this film. When exiting the theater I didn't comprehend how great it was. But upon mulling on it I found it to be one of the best of the year.

[–] raginfanz 13 years ago

I am sure most things are beyond you.

[–] joey-tribbiani 13 years ago

This film was better than The Help, Jane Eyre and barney's Version.

If you want awful stereotypes just look at The Help, Barney's version and Jane Eyre.

E.G. Eat my *beep* and the Jewish nonsense border anti-semitism in Barney's version.

The land was very important and had everything to do with the wife!!

[–] ucsbguy 13 years ago

I thought this was terrible too, it had no real message, Clooney was great, but everyone else was horrible and the story wasn't very good. ..

[–] Venilaa 13 years ago

Not terrible but not great either. I'd probably give it about a 5/6 out of 10.
It's not a patch on Sideways. Also George Clooney is just too Clooney to be convincing in this kind of role. Paul Giamatti would have been a much better choice.