Movie Review: Up In The Air

"It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the phrase, 'as pretty as an airport.' Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort."*

It’s not often when an actor's third film of the season turns out to be a perfect culmination of personae and character, as it is for George Clooney in Jason Reitman's smart and slick “Up In The Air,” now in limited release, opening nationwide Christmas day.  “Up In The Air” is the Clooney vehicle and it's also a film that nearly everyone will like. But don't worry is has more than just Clooney’s charm and soothing car commercial voice.  This story of a middle aged traveling corporate downsizer (AKA “terminator”) and part-time motivational speaker is a crowd-pleasing feel good movie that still manages to address the current job crisis, a mid-life crisis and plenty of relationship drama.  But these doses of reality never ground “Up In The Air” and it beautifully balances the heavy issues with clever lessons on air travel and some very witty yet natural banter.  It also features two supporting female characters that are just as appealing and developed as Clooney's.  Really.

Yes, that was me. So what?

Ryan Bingham (Clooney) has it all figured out. He travels for a living and lives to travel.  He’s very good at his job of informing strangers that they no longer have a job while still managing to leave them with some semblance of hope (most of the time).  He also has a very lofty frequent flier mileage goal. For Ryan, the miles are the destination and his stark studio apartment near his company's headquarters in Omaha is as empty as a hotel room but not as homey.  He thrives in hotel robes, cocktail lounges and first class.

Ryan achieved this professional success by keeping his personal life unfettered and connection free. As he pitches it in his motivational seminars - his metaphorical backpack is empty and yours should be too.  And though Ryan proclaims his satisfaction with his life philosophy, after falling for appropriately aged female fellow traveler, Alex (Vera Farmiga) who's a female mirror image of himself, he has a crisis of faith.  Throw in the corporate-minded ingénue mentee, Natalie (Anna Kendrick), who’s implementing a program that would make Ryan’s job completely obsolete and you've got something thoughtful and funny, albeit a little obvious at times.  Reitman's packed this backpack with existential angst, generational clashes and complex female characters.

 Wow, you're right getting drunk is fun.

Farmiga and Kendrick are amazing.  Both give nuanced and layered performances.  Reitman gives us a story about love, connections (some missed) and family without making it too saccharine to digest.  He skirts cliché and sometimes indulges in it, but the story feels genuine and the three principles are magic. This film focuses on Clooney but Farmiga and Kendrick are given equally as good material to work with.

There are quite a few scenes with employees being informed that they've been let go and their reactions to this troubling life-altering news.  Except for Zach Galifianakis and J.K. Simmons, nearly all of the people in these scenes are real. They are actual people who have just lost their jobs and they are very affecting. This element is a little heavy handed and the non-actors sorely stick out, but in this small way the film gives dignified and honest faces to the fallen.  Misery may not really love company but it's a bit comforting nonetheless.

So, be sure to check this out at the Ritz 5, or later this month at theaters everywhere.  This is Clooney’s movie and he definitely delivers with this role that was tailor made for him. “Up In The Air” makes it look easy, but intelligent adult dramedies like this don't happen often. It's timely, witty, restrained in all the right places and actually has something interesting to say.  Reitman leaves out the quirk and satire of his past efforts (“Juno” and “Thank You For Smoking”, respectively) and paints a mature, complex and still very funny portrait of a man and his miles. 


****/*****

Up In The Air
109 mins
opens in limited release 12/4, nationwide Christmas Day
Dir.: Jason Reitman
Writ.: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner based on the novel by Walter Kirn
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and a little Jason Bateman & Zach Galifianakis thrown in there for good measure AND an awesome bit part by Mr. Sam Elliot.
Rated R: for sexting, honesty and one ass.


*The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul