Up in the air. In Suspension. In limbo.
This Oscar nominated movie is all about uncertainty. Narrated through the eyes of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) , a corporate consultant whose job is to layoff people. Up in the Air is clearly a movie of the times.
On the surface, you would believe that this story is about being a frequent flyer, about calling the airplane your home and about the privileges of being a premium customer. But it really is about life, about how, as humans, we lose ourselves up and forget to do things that really matter.
Though Ryan claims to be free of all attachments with his famous empty backpack philosophy, when a change at work threatens his lifestyle , you realize that his need to be on the move is the baggage.
Natalie Keener (Anne Kendrick) brings that change. Fresh from grad school, she is determined to revolutionize her work place. Her ‘firing over video chat’ brainwave is instantly popular with the management, but Ryan believes she is far removed from the realities of her job. Directly challenged by Ryan , she is tagged with him to understand the nature of her work. What follows is a comical journey around the country with both of them .
The other main character is Alex (Vera Farmiga) , a frequent flyer that Ryan bumps into at an airport lounge. They instantly fall into an affair. She is the female version of Ryan, which is what appeals to him. She literally becomes his mirror as the movie progresses and Ryan learns some pretty hard lessons.
Uncertainty is the key theme of the movie. The unfortunate employee who gets fired faces uncertainty about his future. The young, ambitious newbie on the job doesn’t know if her revolutionary ideas will be stomached with other veterans in the company. Then there is Ryan, whose his life has been literally suspended in mid-air. Is he ready to grow roots and settle down? When he meets the perfect woman, does he get the perfect life? Is he ready to follow his oft repeated advice that he hands out to the person who he has just sacked? Take a second chance at life?
The acting is top-notch. I have been a huge fan of George Clooney over the recent years. I believe he has a talent for picking really slick and tight scripts – Michael Clayton, GoodNight and GoodLuck case in point. Up In The Air is another tight script full of surprises. Anna Kenderick is very convincing as a young graduate, who wants to change the world as soon as she steps in it.
I think Jason Reitman is my new favorite American director. I absolutely loved Juno and Thank you for smoking and this is another brilliant piece from him.
I loved the opening titles of the movie – the aerial shots of America! I was really excited to learn a little trivia about the St. Louis airport – yay!
Things that I did not like about the movie – the unabashed American Airlines, Hilton and Hertz advertising ! Though this was not a paid advertisement, the production crew used these facilities and in exchange displayed the logos. Symbiotic business existence – good for the industry!
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Yes liked this movie. I was constantly reminded of George clooney and the way he looked anxious when this movie was nominated
Yes I know. He looked grumpy throughout the ceremony. He should win an Oscar – he has done some really good movies