This review was a little tricky to write. Typically I put little-to-no spoilers in my reviews. Around the third or fourth paragraph you may want to block out of your mind so the story is still pure when you watch this great film. Let's get to it. Director Jason Reitman faced a difficult task with his most recent movie, Up In The Air. It is very ambitious to establish a lonesome [loathsome] character -- whom of which, you can both envy and empathize. Making matters marginally more complex, how do you make George "I-Typically-Play-One-Kind-Of-Character-Really-Well" Clooney appear unique to an audience that has seen this kind of persona on-and-off screen. Up In The Air could be a sad or uplifting movie -- maybe both depending on your personality. But with such a powerfully moving story and supporting cast, it is hard not to recommend this movie.
In Up In The Air, Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a consulting termination specialist. In laymen terms, he travels all over our wonderful -- high in unemployment, low in morale -- United States and lays off hardworking Americans. Much like how The Visitor and more than likely The Hurt Locker will be snubbed for those fancy paperweight statues. this movie hits so close to home on a multitude of levels. The average movie goer may be put off by movies harsh tone. Mass layoffs, family detachment coupled with conformity and conventional romance subjects are not only addressed in the film, but they are challenged. How common is it for siblings to look at each other like strangers? What are the chances of an American citizen holding a job/career for fifteen years? How about a marriage?
A stark point that Reitman's book-to-film adaptation deals with heavily is how easily we compromise our individuality; be it for our families and spouses or our jobs. Ryan Bingham, is in his late forties/early fifties and seemingly content with living 80 percent of his life in an airplane or a moderately accommodating hotel room. Since his job requires him to travel and personally fire strangers, He's grown so accustomed to this lifestyle that the people he comes in brief contact with merely serve as basic robotic interactions. Well, some interactions are presumably more than robotic thanks to Clooney's stable of hotel flings. Flings that lead him to meeting his match or "himself, but with a vagina." Vera Farmiga who plays Alex Goran, a similar soul to Bingham. She gets closest to him. For me this is the part of the story that struck me as terrifyingly conventional.
As an aside, I would also like to acknowledge that a lesser written story would have completely ruined the Alex' character. In America, it is rare to see a female character depicted as self-sufficient and smart while being selectively promiscuous. Alex could have just as easily taken Bingham's wallet or been written as a thieving gypsy, but thankfully the writing and acting created a very believable and honest character. Now if we could only get rid of that Brian Eno music.
Layered with this new romantic flame, Ryan is forced to show a young protege the ropes. Natalie Keener, played by Anna Kendrick, looks as if she is fresh out of high school and aside from her very storybook life [great family, great college, great boyfriend] she decides to commit to this field that Ryan has dedicated his life to and became a bit of a sensei for many. Clooney administers talks between firings to hotel banquet halls filled with people who want to be just like him. Though Ms. Keener is naive in about every aspect of life. She is also spearheading a new 'e-firing/layoff' technology that saves the company money, prevents the many Ryan Bingham's of the business from being out on the road a majority of the year. More importantly, it threatens the way of life that Clooney's character has been acclimated to. Much like the people Bingham fires, he now feels a personal instability that he so easily provided to his weekly victims.
There is so much to appreciate and discuss dealing with Up In The Air's subject matter. Initially I was offended when a handful of friends deemed my character similar to Bingham. After a fair amount of thought and e-conversations [apropos no?] I don't know many people who aren't or were at some point in their lives, similar to this type of character. What Up In The Air accomplishes so well is leaving the interpretation up to the viewer. Bingham's life could appear to be lonesome, especially for those who fear being alone. The supporting cast proves that we are all in some way conventional. We all have routines and plans.
Though Clooney and Vera's characters live their lives in a socially unaccepted manner, the movie shows that this decision is just as complex as that of marriage. The movie does such a great job of showing what is valuable to these characters. Based on Bingham's journey, he can choose to not live his life the way he has been for years. Or can he? Has he been living this way because of a series of events previously has sheltered his emotionally fragmented self? That's about as Dr. Phil as it gets in this review. I am so glad Up In The Air depicted a change in a character that was both believable and didn't involve a haphazardly thrown together romance.
I Give Up In The Air...
The "William Hootkins 'Stay On Target'" Award