Thursday, February 25, 2010

Up in the Air


For a film primarily about air travel, allow me to open with a stupid joke. Jason Reitman totally nails the landing! As far as his directorial career, he's shooting three for three. 2004's Thank You for Smoking was a solid first feature endeavor and despite the problems I had with Juno on a screenwriting level, it was a very well put together movie, as far as teen romance/thinking outside the box comedies are concerned. Up in the Air looks and feels like the perfect tonal follow up to TYfS.

Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a "miles" obsessed travel addict who takes on the seemingly difficult task of laying off individuals when the company they work for is too chickenshit to do it themselves. Though Bingham handles his job with poise and confidence, granting words of wisdom tinged with a poetic grace as he ushers the newly terminated into their new life of future employment. Enter two drastically opposite, though equally valuable females into Ryan's life. Alex, a fellow travel-phile and sometime bed-fellow with which he shares a profound connection in their respective philosophies about life and Veronica, the company's new upstart determined to outsource Ryan's job with the advent of internet video chat.

Interspersed amid the narrative are actual personal accounts of people who have been "let go" of their corporate livelihood. A gutsy move considering the economic climate and massive layoffs taking place in the country. Though it's not a downer by any means, but more of an uplifting snapshot of the human spirit in the face of one of the most devastating experiences we can have in life next to breakups and the death of a loved one. Accenting these asides are brief yet excellent performances by Zach Galifianakis and JK Simmons to anchor these vignettes to the narrative. Jason Bateman also puts in a markedly off typecast role as Bingham's cutthroat boss. If nothing else, this film is the reason why George Clooney is a leading man in the film industry, completely deserving of any nominations that are coming his way. Vera Farmiga (The Departed) does a bang-up (no pun intended) job as Alex, branching out as a newly christened A-lister. The most notable impressive casting choice was Anna Kendrick as Veronica. Best known for her barely supporting role in the Twilight films, she shows range and skill in this emotional roller coaster of a role.

Stepping back into the writer's room adapting the novel by Walter Kirn, Jason Reitman is quickly becoming the voice of his disembodied generation. He doesn't seem at all intimidated by either his father, Ivan's the cultural footprint or extensive catalog of producing and directing credits. The junior Reitman exudes a very plain honesty about character and interpersonal relationships that many modern dramas overlook. Where most films will polish their themes with flashy dialog, and while Bingham is a big talker, Up in the Air's most poignant moments often don't include any dialog at all. It takes a talented director to connect with an audience in these quiet moments onscreen, and is likely by Up in the Air is one of the best movies you're likely to see this year (2010 included.)


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