FILM: RE VIEWS THE DESCENDANTS
GEORGE CLOONEY IS TIPPED FOR AN OSCAR IN THIS WELL-RECEIVED, INTELLIGENT DRAMA
This Month’s DVDs...
TYRANNOSAUR
Set in Leeds, this modern-day kitchen-sink drama is the debut directorial feature from British actor Paddy Considine. It charts the evolving friendship between unemployed drinker Joseph (Peter Mullan) and charity shop worker Hannah (Olivia Colman) – a prisoner in a violently abusive marriage to James (Eddie Marsan). It’s bleak, but it remains an assured debut. Out: 6 February
DOOGIE HOWSER, M.D. THE DESCENDANTS
Matt King (George Clooney) is a workaholic property lawyer in Hawaii. His life is thrown into disarray when his wife suffers a boating accident and falls into a deep coma. He is suddenly made to confront the fact that, for the past few years, he’s been merely a part- time husband and part-time father to daughters Alexandra and Scottie. Doctors inform him that his wife will not regain consciousness and will be removed from her life support machine. He has just days to tell friends and family to say their goodbyes. It’s at this point that his elder daughter reveals that her mum had been having an affair with another man. Matt is devastated. His comatose, dying wife is no state to provide him with any answers, so – with his daughters in tow – he sets out to find his wife’s lover. He feels the need to inform him of her imminent death and to seek answers to his own questions. At the same time, Matt’s extended family are putting pressure on him to sell a chunk of Hawaiian land that has belonged in the family for generations – and which can potentially earn them a fortune. Money, family, inheritance, betrayal, love and death… The Descendants, from director
and screenwriter Alexander Payne (Sideways), may sound heavy going. As if to counteract this, the theatrical trailer plays up the film’s more comic moments but does the film a disservice by doing so. Payne has again served up a near-perfectly balanced, intelligent tale that, although executed with a lightness of touch, offers stirring pathos and thoughtful drama. Clooney’s character finds himself in a predicament that none of us would ever wish to find ourselves – and it’s one that just seems to get worse. Clooney’s a fine actor but even he struggles to fully convey the maelstrom of emotions that his character experiences, but then again, it’s hard to think of any other actor that could have carried this any better. Although his performance in 2008’s Michael Clayton was more solid, he’s surely favourite to finally scoop his ‘Best Actor’ Academy Award. The film also features a star-making turn from Shailene Woodley (who plays elder daughter Alex). The Descendants will make you laugh, and – unless you have had an emotional bypass –
will make you cry. It’s already picked up the Golden Globe for ‘Best Motion Picture’, and is sure to sweep up many more prizes in the months to come. DH Out: 27 January
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WWW.OUTMAG.CO.UK
Hey may now be a big, openly gay star on Broadway, but Neil Patrick Harris began his showbiz career in the fondly-remembered and much- loved Doogie Howser, M.D – the light- hearted tale of a 16-year-old boy genius who passed his medical exams while still a teen. The first series, which originally aired in the late 80s, is released on DVD for the first time in the UK this month – featuring all 26 episodes. Out: 20 February
AUGUST
When Troy moves back to LA after many years of living in Spain, he meets up with former boyfriend Jonathan, who’s now dating Raul – a South American immigrant who quickly picks up on the renewed sexual tension between the former lovers. Set against a sweltering L.A summer, August is an arty, languid but involving gay drama – which scooped last year’s Iris Prize feature film award. Out: 13 February
THE STRANGER IN US
Atmospheric and serious gay indie filmmaking from the US, courtesy of first-time director Scott Boswell. Anthony moves to San Francisco to move in with boyfriend Stephen, but when the relationship quickly turns volatile and violent, he finds himself alone in a strange city – leading him to hook up with street hustler Gavin. Confusing in its non-chronological narrative, but an effective debut. Out: 27 February
REVIEWS: DAVID HUDSON
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