Directed By: Jason Reitman

Written By: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliott, Danny McBride, Zach Galifianakis, Melanie Lynskey

Review:

George Clooney has done it again.  He consistently proves that he is an A list actor worthy of strong recognition.  He is an all around class act individual and that makes him shine both on and off of the screen.  Up In The Air is the perfect film for him to show how well rounded he is.  He is able to one moment be funny and the next be deeply compassionate.  I believe he excels in dramedies like this film.

The film follows Ryan Bingham as he flies around the country delivering bad news to employees.  He is hired out to companies and bosses that cannot handle firing their employees and does it with precision and without blinking.  His life is compartmentalized, he does not have any attachments that don’t fit inside his luggage and he craves the elite status that frequent flier miles bring him.  His life is thrown for a loop when he has to mentor a new hire, Natalie, played by Anna Kendrick, and show her the tricks of the trade on the road.

There are some great character actors in this film.  Jason Bateman is perfect as Ryan’s smarmy boss.  J.K. Simmons and Zach Galifianakis are both humorous and dramatic examples of the employees that he has to fire on a daily basis. Melanie Lynskey plays Ryan’s sister Julie.  She is set to marry Jim, played by the humorous Danny McBride. Alex, played by Vera Formiga, is Ryan’s love interest and “plus one” to his sisters memorable wedding.

As you can imagine a lot of the scenes take place in airport terminals and in airplanes.  I enjoyed trying to figure out if I could recognize any of the airports from my travels.  Jason Reitman uses overhead scenes of each city to highlight the transition between scenes.  This is extremely unique and a nice way to bookend each chapter.

This is a funny, heartwarming film that makes you take stock in your own life without being overly preachy.  It is real and the topic is poignant.  People are losing their jobs everyday, yet this film has found a way to add humor to this delicate subject.  Up In The Air is definitely worth seeing and it would be a great movie to take someone you care about to see and have long winded conversations with over coffee afterward.  Go see this film before it leaves theaters.  It will more than likely be nominated for an Oscar.

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