GRADE: A

The term ‘dramedy’ really doesn’t support the kind of emotional resonance that films in the genre tend to exhibit. It’s not a word that sounds synonymous with quality filmmaking, but good dramedies tend to be right up there in the Oscar discussions. The Descendants is no different. In fact, you may as well write it down as a sure thing for a nomination.

But you aren’t here to learn about the Oscar hopes of The Descendants. You want to know what it’s about. Why do you care? What’s in it for you? Well, look around you. Look at the films in theaters right now. There are comedies, depressing dramas and a few action movies. The Descendants stands out as a singular option for those who want to feel more than one emotion during a film. It has the capability to bring you to tears one moment, then burst into laughter the next. And it does this without really showing its colors or telegraphing its jokes. As Carmine Falcone once said, “Now that’s power you can’t buy!”

George Clooney delivers one of his best all-around performances that combines his physical humor from O Brother Where Art Thou and his dramatic prowess from Up In The Air. But the film is complete thanks to outstanding performances from the supporting cast, especially Shailene Woodley. She plays Clooney’s daughter who supports the film as the emotional center and she even upstages Clooney at times. More importantly, her character is written wonderfully well as a real teenager who swears and makes frustration seem genuine.

While the performances are great, it’s the direction and writing that bring The Descendants to Oscar-caliber. The characters created are clearly well done from the start. They all have an arc. It’s hard enough to get one from the lead character in some films, but each one gets its due diligence in The Descendants. This goes especially for Nick Krause’s Sid, who initially appears to be a shallow comedic relief. Yet, as the film progresses we learn more abut him and his colors show in a way that enhances everything around him.

The film comes to us in a time where it’s story is universally relevant without forcing “bad economy” lines down our throat. It’s about balancing work and life and how everybody, everywhere has to do it. Even the people who live in sunny Hawaii are still human beings with their own personal drama. But don’t get me wrong, this is still a commercial film. It holds psychological and social relevance to almost any viewer who has experienced the pain of losing somebody, but keeps it mainstream with humor and Clooney’s popular face. This script could have easily been made into a super indie-style film, but it wasn’t. It’s colorful. It’s alive. It’s fun to watch. But you’ll leave it feeling like you learned a new way to approach pain and the insurance that you are not alone when things are falling apart.

What Should You Do? Missing The Descendants in theaters would be a mistake.