The Descendants: almost forgettable

I appreciate a good human story as much as the next person, with one simple crisis to face.  The focus in this film shifts from a chain of events to the characters and how they react and evolve to the simple problem.  In this case, it's about a man struggling to unite his family, discovering what paradise in Hawaii truly means.  Of course you have the disgruntle teenager, the offbeat adolescent, and the absent workaholic father, trying to define how to get along in the world.  At the end of the day, it's a good family story, but not re-inventive enough to stand the test of time.
Verdict: when you're in the mood (Rent)