Up in the Air Review

Rated R (Language and Some Sexual Content)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 49 Minutes

Cast:

George Clooney-Ryan Bingham

Vera Farmiga-Alex Goran

Anna Kendrick-Natalie Keener

Jason Bateman-Craig Gregory

Sam Elliott-Captain Maynard Finch

J.K. Simmons-Bob

Zach Galifianakis-Steve

Amy Morton-Kara Bingham

Melanie Lynskey-Julie Bingham

Danny McBride-Jim Miller

Chris Lowell-Kevin

Steve Eastin-Samuels

Directed by Jason Reitman

Do you smell that?

How many people go through life alone and at the end of their lives regret that they never made any sort of connection? Probably too many to even count. In today's troubled economic climate, you never know when 'The Man' (or Woman) is going to give you the boot. Along comes "Up in the Air," the third film from director Jason Reitman, famous for 2007's "Juno." The film could be viewed as a romantic comedy or a sign of how disillusioned and disconnected we've become but whatever its trying to tell us, it's one of the best films this year and watching cutie Anna Kendrick tell off George Clooney is absolutely priceless.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) works for Integrated Strategic Management and is a 'career transition counselor.' Simply, he is sub contracted out to other companies to fire people because the bosses who are supposed to do it just don't have the balls to. Bingham doesn't have a real home and travels frequently, having no real connection to anyone. One of his goals is to rack up ten million frequent flyer miles and join that 'elite club.' During one of his travels, he meets Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), who's like him, 'only with a vagina.' They immediately hit it off and begin a casual relationship, having no-strings attached sex in hotel rooms. Out of the blue, Bingham's boss, Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman) calls all his employees back to HQ and introduces them to Cornell graduate Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), who's developed a much more efficient way of firing people through video conferencing, which saves on the company shelling out money for travel expenses. Bingham sees this as threat as he treats firing people very seriously and with dignity but secretly, he believes that he's about to get the boot. So Bingham takes Natalie along and shows her how hard it is to fire people face-to-face but along the way faces some life-altering obstacles that challenge his personal philosophy on relationships.

Nowadays, you can't flip through a newspaper without reading about some random company laying off this many percent of its employees. "Up in the Air" deals with the inhumanity of corporations when firing people, often out of necessity to cut costs and while Reitman mines these scenes for comedic effect at times, there's also a sadness behind it. The film begins with this opening montage of what happens when you don't have people like Bingham to do damage control, showing Zach Galifianakis as a disgruntled employee standing outside the company he used to work for with a sniper rifle. Hey, we may never think of the worst case scenario but it happens! Scenes where Bingham and Natalie lay off countless people are often touching because these are regular folks who have given the better part of their lives and dreams for 'the company,' only to be treated this way in return. One of them even threatens to go jump off a bridge. "Up in the Air" is about all those things but it's also about one person who's coasted through life, thriving on the misery of others and although he sympathizes, he's never experienced or felt their pain. Bingham doesn't think about settling down or having a family because he finds it all pointless. After all, everyone is heading toward the same end, which is, stuck in a coffin three feet below the earth so he has these frivolous pursuits. Racking up ten million frequent flyer miles? What is the point? You get a nice shiny card with your name on it and a dedicated phone line from the airport company but what do you get out of it? It's all just meaningless. Natalie is fresh out of college and ready to prove her worth, but she's also idealistic. She has her entire life planned out and hopes to be married by twenty-three. Bingham and Natalie often clash horns, particularly with his lifestyle choice where he takes no responsibility for anyone or himself. Reitman shows how corporations and technology employ cold logic to what they do, and this even extends to personal relationships. Natalie's boyfriend breaks up with her through text message and nowadays, people are so distant that after a one-night stand, they don't even have the decency to say good-bye; they just up and leave! Perhaps most important of all though, the film tells us that although jobs are important because they help pay the bills and put food on the table, all this pales in comparison when you're going through life alone and that even if you get fired, someone will be there to help you through it. Life is just not worth going if you're going it alone.

"Up in the Air" works so well thanks to its performances and George Clooney seems born to play a person like Ryan Bingham. He's charismatic, charming, someone you can easily get along with but in the end, you don't really know him. People often ask how Bingham sleeps at night doing what he does, and although he may never truly know what it feels like to be fired, he can at least try to comfort them and that's the kind of humanity Clooney brings to the table. Vera Farmiga plays a female version of Bingham and she exhibits many of the same qualities but knows how to keep her work life and home life separate. There is excellent chemistry between her and Clooney as they trade quips and innuendo and while we hope these two characters end up together, this is sadly not the case. I won't reveal how it happens but it'll come as a surprise considering how many people gasped at the theater. Anna Kendrick is adorable as a fresh faced corporate employee and this may sound cruel, but it was rather cute when she began sobbing loudly in front of everyone when her boyfriend broke up with her. Most impressive is that she is never overshadowed by Clooney and her Golden Globe nomination is well-deserved, though the competition is certainly tough. Word of advice: she should drop out of the "Twilight" films; they may pay the bills but it's beneath her talent and I hope to see her in more movies that are worth her time. Did I mention she looks great in a business suit? Despite its dour subject, there are plenty of funny moments such as when Natalie and Alex discuss what kind of ideal mate they want, or when Bingham uses stereotypes to pick which line to go on at the airport and finally, Kendrick singing karaoke!

"Up in the Air" had a limited released on December 4th and went wide on December 23, 2009. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive with 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the 'charismatic performances by its three leads' and that the film 'delivers a smart blend of humor and emotion with just enough edge for mainstream audiences.' It has made $16 million so far and the positive word-of-mouth has helped immensely as it was a full house when I saw the film, although I didn't particularly enjoy the snoring eighty-year old woman sitting next to me. "Up in the Air" is a surprising film that's relevant of the troubled times we live in but it's also about the importance of forging a connection before it's too late. With memorable performances, this is one movie you can't afford to miss.

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

"The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places; and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over."