"The Descendants", based upon Kaui Hart Hemmings' novel, is a great movie with a superb soundtrack filled with names I've never heard of before, but apparently big stars in Hawaii where the movie takes place. Along with "Another Earth" it is easily the best mix of sound and vision this year.
The comedy-drama tells the story of Matt King (George Clooney), a businessman and trustee to his mother's multi-million bucks pristine lands in Hawaii. His wife is in an irreversible coma and when his 17 year old daughter Alexandra (Shailene Wooley -in a star making turn) returns from boarding school, she tells her father her mother has been having an affair,
Taking along his other daughter, they go off to confront the man.
Beautiful shot all over Hawaii, this is a serious but funny, very smart, very moving study of mortality, morality and family. Clooney is perfect. Everyone is perfect. And always a pleasure to see Beau Bridges, overshadowed by his kid brother but a great actor in his own right.
The music is the equal of the movie. If all you know of Hawaiian music is that bloke who does "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", prepare to be wowed big time. Gentle but not soft, based around steel guitars, flutes, and vocals that seem to yodel out, I especially recommend Gabby Panihuni, who all but invented slack guitar playing. If you have read Keith Richards "Life" he writes in detail about open key guitar playing. Gabby invented it in 1946. Basically you slacken (loosen) the strings so you can play the sound of a chord without actually putting your fingers on the frets to make a chord. Gabby then hand picked it.
To me, the soundtrack is similar to what "O Brother Where Art Thou" is to you. I knew the early American music T Bone Burnett compiled for "O Brother" but the music on "The Descendant" is a complete revelation to me.
Movie: A
Music: A+