CHICAGO – Two highly anticipated films have been added to the 47th Chicago International Film Festival lineup: “The Descendants” and “Butter.” The two new films, both having their Chicago premiere at the festival, will play on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 and Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 respectively.
“The Descendants” is a mid-life crisis story starring George Clooney. Clooney plays Matt King, a husband and father of two girls living in Hawaii. Matt is taken by surprise when he finds out his wife is in a boating accident off the island of Waikiki. Matt comes to the realization that he may need to mend his relationship with his wife for the sake of his young 10 year-old daughter, Scottie, and stubborn 17 year-old daughter, Alexandra.
Things take an even bigger turn when Alexandra brings up the news that her mother has had a romantic relationship with another man behind Matt’s back. Matt is now stick in a difficult week of decisions between the problems with his wife, the struggle of caring for his daughters, and the choice of whether or not to sell his family’s plot of land.
“The Descendants” is the first film directed by Alexander Payne since his 2004 smash-hit “Sideways.” The film will play at 8:45 p.m. CST on Tuesday October 18 at the AMC River East 21 Theatre.
“Butter,” the other add to the fest, is a film starring Jennifer Garner as Laura Pickler. Laura, the wife of a champion butter sculptor named Bob (Ty Burrell), is crushed when she finds out her husband is pressured into retiring from competitive sculpting to make room for new winners. Not wanting to fall away from the spotlight in the world of butter sculpting, Laura decides she will enter into the contest as well. Laura doesn’t want to lose the fame and is willing to do anything to win; even sabotage the competition with her former boyfriend Boyd (Hugh Jackman).
“Butter” is directed by Jim Field Smith (“She’s Out of My League”) and will play at 8:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday October 19 at the AMC River East 21 Theatre.
 [13] | By TIM MARTENS [14] |
Links:
[1] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/users/timbmartens
[2] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/alexander-payne
[3] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/butter
[4] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/labels/chicago_international_film_festival.html
[5] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/george-clooney
[6] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/hollywoodchicagodotcom-content
[7] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/hugh-jackman
[8] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/jennifer-garner
[9] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/jim-field-smith
[10] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/the-descendants
[11] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/tim-martens
[12] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/ty-burrell
[13] mailto:tim@hollywoodchicago.com
[14] http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/about#TIM