The main reason to see “Up in the Air,” besides being able to stare at George Clooney, is the creative script. Director Jason Reitman, who co-adapted the screenplay with Shelton Turner, brings a mixture of comedy and drama to this movie, giving his characters some laugh-out-loud moments yet grounding the story in serious ideas. Clooney is especially convincing as a man who has shed all of life’s usual attachments. And providing able support is Vera Farmiga, who plays Alex, a female version of Ryan, and Anna Kendrick, as Natalie, Ryan’s young co-worker who learns some of life’s hard lessons. And with the exception of two actors, all of the laid-off people are real people who have faced someone saying, ‘Your position is no longer available.’
Ryan is a corporate gunslinger; that is, his company is hired to fire people. So Ryan spends his days traveling from city to city, delivering the news of layoffs. He lives in hotels and spends the rest of his time in airports and airplanes and likes it that way. He has no time for relationships and his one goal in life is to collect 10 million frequent flier miles so he can join a rare club. When Ryan’s boss (Jason Bateman) decides to implement a new strategy proposed by new hire Natalie (Kendrick), one that uses teleconferencing technology to fire people, Ryan brings Natalie on the road with him to prove to her that this is not the way to handle such a sensitive issue. Along the way, Ryan has a chance encounter with Alex (Farmiga). “Up in the Air” might feel like a romantic comedy, but it’s not. At it’s heart is the analysis of a man whose chosen lifestyle might seem, on the surface, desirable. But that’s because Clooney plays him with such charisma. When you take a closer look, you see the loneliness lurking in Ryan’s dark eyes. And a secondary issue is the inhumane way corporations cut work forces. “Up in the Air” delivers a mix of humor and drama and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. 12/11/09
1 comment:
"Up in the Air" was an enjoyable movie with an unusual story and a good screenplay. Jason Reitman has done a skillful job of assembling a fine cast and putting a very different story on the screen. The main thing I got out of this story was that some things just can't be done by computer or electronics. George Clooney's character seemed to understand that when you are toying with someone’s life and livelihood you can't just send them an email. There seems to be a limited audience for this film and a bit of a struggle at the box office. I recommend seeing it.
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