Estates, Trusts and Living Wills are perhaps not typical subject matters for Hollywood movies. In his new movie, The Descendants, George Clooney’s character Matt King struggles with a conflict over a beautiful piece of undeveloped land in Hawaii that his family has owned for generations.
As the Trustee of the land, King is torn between carrying out what he believes his ancestors wanted – keeping the land for intact for future generations – and the demands of the Trust’s beneficiaries, his cousins, who want the cash and urge him to sell out to land developers.
The situation depicted in the film is certainly realistic – being a Trustee is never an easy task, and careful advice should be obtained when preparing any estate plan to minimize the risk of future family conflict.
As one review says: “The Descendants thoughtfully, honestly, and tenderly asks its audience, “What do we inherit, and how do we pass it on?” It’s both a beautiful question and a wonderful movie to consider.”
