PLOT
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings follows the story of Matt King, and his family's misfortune. Joanie King has been in a coma for 23 days after being in a motorboat accident. Matt, not used to handling his children, is at a loss. Scottie (10), is causing trouble, and the only way Matt knows to do is to bring back his other daughter, Alex (17), from boarding school. With the news of Joanie's deteriorating condition, secrets are spilled, and family bonds are closer than ever. Matt is also having to sell 25,000 acres if his family's land to piling up to everything else he has to deal with. What will he do to save his family?
Film Adaptation |
Our version of The Descendants is different from the book because we felt that some scenes or characters weren't necessary to get the main story line. We did not include the part with Lani, Scottie's "friend," because we felt it was redundant, that the mean things Scottie did can be absorbed into the scene with Reina, because it goes into more detail of how Scottie changes when Joanie is in a coma. We also did not include the nanny because she was unimportant
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SPOILERS:
What Matt thought about Alex changes, as he learns the reason Alex was sent to boarding school was not because of drugs, but because Alex caught Joanie cheating on Matt. As the family's close friends are told about Joanie's impeding death, Matt takes it upon himself to tell Joanie's lover, Brian Speer, the news. Matt thinks Joanie would want this, and he also wants to know the details of their relationship. Not telling Scottie of the affair, Matt, Alex, Scottie, and Alex's friend Sid travel to the nearby Hawaiian Island of Kauai for a "vacation." On Kauai, Matt searches for Brian in the hope of finding him, while Alex and Sid take care of Scottie. By coincidence, Matt runs into Julie Speer, Brian's wife. He ends up saving one of her kids, and learns she is Brian's wife. While talking with cousin Hugh, Matt also discovers that Holitzzer, the man the King family was to sell their inherited land to, was the brother-in-law to Brian Speer. Joanie wanted Matt to the sell the land to Holitzzer, so Brian, a realtor, would get commission from selling the land, and become rich. Then Joanie was going to divorce Matt and marry a rich man. But Brian said he would never separate from his wife because he loves Julie, not Joanie. Brian refuses to say goodbye to Joanie before she dies, and Matt leaves. During the final goodbye, Julie shows up, because Sid called her and told her of the affair. Julie forgives Joanie for everything, and Joanie dies peacefully. Matt, Scottie, and Alex spread her ashes on the ocean, and their new life begins with the memory of Joanie.