Up in the AirUp in the Air
WITH A JOB THAT HAS HIM TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY FIRING PEOPLE, RYAN BINGHAM LEADS AN EMPTY LIFE OUT OF A SUITCASE, UNTIL HIS COMPANY DOES THE UNEXPECTED GROUND HIM.Up in the Air transforms some painful subjects into smart, sly comedy–with just enough of the pain underneath to give it some weight. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) spends most of his days traveling around the country and firing people; he’s hired by bosses who don’t have the nerve to do their layoffs themselves. His life of cons
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(out of 185 reviews)
Review by Ed Uyeshima for Up in the Air
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As someone who has both laid off staff and a year later, became the victim of a layoff after twelve years with the same company, I had a personal interest in seeing how director/co-screenwriter Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, Juno) was going to adapt Walter Kirn’s smart, unsettling 2001 novel. Even though eight years have elapsed since the book’s publication, the filmmaker – along with co-writer Sheldon Turner – manages to deepen Kirn’s themes in this wry, emotionally resonant 2009 dramedy and make them even more relevant with the pervasive downsizing of corporate America. The movie also manages to surprise even when certain plot turns seem evident before they occur. Initially, there is a veneer of cynicism that makes you think the story will be an abject lesson in the impermanence of life, but instead, it evolves into one man’s journey into the heart of the emotional turbulence he had been careful to avoid. Toward that end, Reitman seems to be inspired by Alexander Payne’s equally perceptive road movies, About Schmidt and Sideways, films that reflect a similar storytelling style.
The plot focuses on laser-sharp corporate layoff consultant Ryan Bingham, a man who regales in the impermanence of life by traveling 322 days on the road, informing targeted employees that they are about to lose their jobs. There is a necessary callousness in his approach, but he knows it’s necessary to be present and honest when it comes to conveying the unpleasant news. Bingham is also a motivational speaker who espouses unburdening one’s life of possessions and fitting everything essential within the confines of a backpack. Proving his case, he lives in hotels, airplanes, and airport terminals with his one life goal being the seventh person to collect ten million frequent-flier miles. If you can get past the Spartan one-bedroom apartment he keeps in Omaha for the 43 days he is forced to be at home, the hatchet man appears to lead a charmed if rather solitary life. Complications, however, ensue on both personal and professional fronts.
Bingham meets a fellow transient traveler named Alex Goran in an airport lounge and assesses that he may have found his soul-mate, so much so that he invites her to come to his estranged sister’s wedding in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Bingham’s boss wants to introduce a new strategy proposed by a fresh-faced, post-grad school upstart. New hire Natalie Keener suggests using remote teleconferencing to perform the layoff notifications. Since the new technology is the antithesis of Bingham’s one-on-one method, he brings Natalie along on the road to show her how it can’t possibly work. In a role that feels custom-tailored to all his strengths, George Clooney plays Bingham with an emotional precision that complements his charismatic persona which pivots between swaggering and self-effacing. On one hand, it’s his most definitive movie-star role, and yet Clooney has never revealed as much about himself onscreen.
The always watchable Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Down to the Bone) is sexy and confident as the woman who seems perfect for Bingham, even though their adroit compatibility could not possibly sustain an actual commitment. Their interplay is fun to watch because there is a Cary Grant-Rosalind Russell-level rapport that keeps both on their toes. Anna Kendrick (Twilight) is winning as Natalie even if her character’s naiveté feels a bit manufactured at times. Jason Bateman has a field day playing Bingham’s smarmy boss, while Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, and Danny McBride (Pineapple Express) plays their accustomed types with aplomb as members of Bingham’s immediate family. In cameos, J.K. Simmons (Juno) and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) sharply play two of the victimized employees, but for the rest, Reitman uses non-actors replaying their recent experiences of getting laid off. As usual with Reitman’s films, it boasts an eclectic soundtrack that works really well with the storyline.
Review by G.V. for Up in the Air
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Hard to understand how a movie that manages to make you feel down in the dumps in many instances can have you laughing out loud the rest of the way. Perhaps because UP IN THE AIR is a movie so very full of surprises and complete knowledge of its main subject (I swear the next time I go through security in an airport I’ll be looking for the oriental businessmen and avoid babies at all costs).
All throughout the movie I was expecting the obvious conclusion (the firer being fired) and was surprised to get something completely different in return, but even UP IN THE AIR’s schocker scene, managed to make so much sense it’s hard for me to understand how I didn’t see it coming.
There’s no question in my mind UP IN THE AIR will be the movie future generations will look back in trying to understand this particular era we live in. It is quiet simply a classic.
Review by W. Easley for Up in the Air
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“Up in The Air” is a film that is both a character study and a love story. This film examines the persona of a man tasked to perform actions that put him at the center of situations where people respond with anger and pain. Than same man, a confirmed bachelor set in his ways, encounters a woman who is his match.
The primary theme of “Up in the Air” is about helping people adjust to the reality that our poor economy may hurt them. Companies need to downsize or go bankrupt. But executives in the companies do not like to fire people. So in comes Ryan Bingham played by George Clooney, who performs two services. First he fires the people with style and grace, and listens to their rage. Second he counsels each person, presents him with severance package that includes transition training and a job placement service. George Clooney is perfect for this part. George’s personality, his charm, and interpersonal skills, shine as Ryan carefully and tactfully handles each person he counsels.
To perform his marvels, Ryan must travel. He is constantly on the road. Accordingly he becomes an expert at efficient travel. At each airport, hotel, and rental agency, he is a known commodity. He is efficient and loves his job.
Ryan has determined that he does not wish what other people crave – family, permanent home and family. He is the penultimate bachelor who thinks he loves the single life. He cherishes his freedom and limits his goals to accruing ten million travel points, and become one of a rare few to attain such a distinction.
On one of his trips Ryan meets Alex (played by Vera Farmiga) who also travels most of her life. Ryan and Alex develop a relationship that becomes a vital subplot of the film. As Ryan starts to like Alex he begins to question his life style decisions, which leads to more excitement for the story.
I recommend “Up in the Air”. It is an entertaining film with an interesting story and characterization.
Review by Sdog for Up in the Air
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George Clooney once again playing himself in a romantic comedy which is really neither that romantic nor funny. Don’t get me wrong, Clooney is always pretty good as himself. The story is very, very slow moving. Editing is terrible- the story gets very choppy and even confusing in places. Interesting premises to work with-business travel, relationships on the road, making a successful career out of firing others – but the supporting cast and editing really get in the way. Watch the deleted scenes-they would have really helped make this a better movie. There were scenes in the movie which didn’t truly make sense until I saw the deleted scenes. Not a bad movie, but disappointing because it could have been a really good movie with the right cast and director.
Review by Erol Esen for Up in the Air
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Is Clooney playing himself?…As with all of his other movies, I saw no variation in his acting whatsoever. Perhaps that’s why this invariant thespian, with women-certified charm, stands out as one of the leading men of Hollywood. But the screenplay that is Up In The Air is clever, witty, and refreshing to remind the rest of us men what the purpose of life is: to propagate DNA, and ride the ripples we procreate with all their ups and downs.