If you only like action-packed movies, skip this one. But if you want something more thought-provoking and visually beautiful, do yourself a favor and see this on a big screen. Colony isn't the only actor putting in the performance of his career here, either.

This rises above the usual Hollywood holiday fare. It drips authenticity, and handles the difficult subject of a dying family member in a deft and realistic way. Honest performances from Clooney and his two onscreen kids, sensitive and surefooted direction from Alexander Payne and a mature appreciation of the ways in which the impending death of a wife and mother change those around her "The Descendants" one of 2011's finest films. This is not to say there are not moments of laughter, joy and sheer entertainment. Beer is drunk, punches are thrown, curse words abound. And of course, tears are shed, onscreen and in the audience. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

To me, the movie was excruciatingly slow. That being said, the acting was fine, there were a few funny/poignant moments and having Hawaii as a backdrop - gorgeous. My BF did enjoy it a lot more and the woman next to me was in tears - hopefully she was moved by the movie and not the thought that she just wasted all this time at the movie. You'll have to see and judge for yourself.

It was one of the best movie I saw this year. The subject matter was sad, but it had so many funny humorous parts in it that I laughed so hard. George Clooney was spectacular in this role, he was very classy, funny, compassionate and a great father. The father-in-law was a bit of a jack ass. The daughter did a fabulous job of being a rebellious teenager. Overall, we all loved it.

Best movie I've seen in a long time. Story and characters are so natural and nuanced and complex, struggling for dignity, flawed, utterly believable. Casting is brilliant across the board. Clooney as Matt King and his 2 daughters Alex & Scottie have rich, many-dimensioned interactions. He and Alex's performances are subtle genius. beau bridges captures perfectly a middle aged guy who's coasted on his inheritance and plays affable, easy-going, and unmaterialistic on the outside but reveals through twitches in his lip and opaque comments how venal & ultimately self-loathing he is. And even the smaller roles are richly realized and critical to the overall tone and telling of the story: Alex's stoner friend Sid, the couple down the street who are good friends, the father-in-law. The closing three scenes are so quietly elegant and beautiful, deeply sad but so personal and somehow affirming that within all of us is the capacity for tenderness and forgiveness. A great film.