MovieChat Forums > The Descendants (2011) Discussion > Bad dialogue. Bad acting. Bad editing. B...

Bad dialogue. Bad acting. Bad editing. Bad everything?

posted 13 years ago by kareldc2
97 replies | jump to latest

The films starts with 5 minutes of voice over by Clooney. Red flag #1...

Huge cliche of a story. Tragedy happens within family and shakes them up while they grow closer to each other.

Because of that enormous cliche most of the characters next to Clooney are generic. The comic relief boyfriend. The little sister who is too young to understand what is going on. The older daughter who initially hates her father but who grows closer to him as the movie progresses.

The film is structured as being a road movie without being one. Noting bad with that but perhaps watch Little Miss Sunshine if you like that. It's a good movie that is actually about something. I think the director also liked that movie but forgot to copy the most important part.

Don't go see this. Really. Some of the scenes are so weird that it feels like a 12 year old did the cut.

Also the most ridiculous scene in the whole film (for me at least) takes place at the end of the film when Judy Greer's character burst out in tears. Over a person who she has never met. Who her husband was seeing on the side. A character who only made 2 brief appearances in the movie until then but who we are supposed to emphasize with?!?!

I ran out of the theatre when I saw the performance of the little girl hearing her mother was going to die. So bad.

Without looking back.

[–] ofratko 13 years ago

The movie had it's moments. But overall I expected more from it. It was a bit emotionless... I didn't see the characters develop at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmSimx9fTDs&list=LL6vQyi_3aRtBQv2CdPwiwSg&index=2&feature=plpp_video

[–] Liztothemax 13 years ago

"I didn't see the characters develop at all."

Then you weren't watching.

[–] proent 13 years ago

Wheres your movie?

[–] electric-crow 13 years ago

Interesting review.

I think this film depends on the viewer to fill in the scenes. If you have never lost a parent, never raised children, never lost a spouse, never experienced a cheating spouse, never contended with self-absorbed friends and relatives then yes, I can understand how one would not connect with this film.

[–] mark_dana 13 years ago

Well, 3 of us watched it tonight and totally disagree.
Good dialogue. Good acting. Good editing. Good everything, we loved it.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Liztothemax 13 years ago

lol You apparently just don't get anything.

[–] florida26 13 years ago

This movie was interesting to watch, it had my attention the whole way through. Turns out, however, as a rather pointless film. It's one of those movies that uses a a plot formula and music to manipulate you into assuming something "deep" is happening here. Forest Gump and Beautiful Mind come to mind - two very well received movies because of the superficial way they pull at your heart strings, thus pleasing a large portion of the general population. Clooney's performance was average - but the whole film rang empty.

[–] jmckay27 13 years ago

Sorry you're empty

[–] Deion-Sandals 13 years ago

You can't deny Clooney yelling "you get it? you were putting lipstick on a corpse" was a little unsettling. I actually cracked up just now watching that bit bc of how hilariously bad a way to break the news it was, but he did deliver the line pretty well. I'm only 35 minutes in but I'm not really bothered by Clooney so far, and Rob Huebel is hilarious as usual. The script is pretty awful for the most part though and the girl who plays Alex is terrible at acting

[–] Deion-Sandals 13 years ago

The excessive music is just painful. Also, the dialogue is just laughable at times. "You are about a hundred miles from smartville... no offense"

and why is it so long... would've at least been watchable if they'd cut out the 30 minutes of music/b-reel sequences.

[–] hodie 13 years ago

The score was pretty. Other than that, I can't understand the raves.

"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] BartSte02 13 years ago

Movie was quite painful to watch. The best scene and only scene I'd watch again in the entire movie is the scene where Clooney confronts Matthew Lilliard's character.