Movie Review: Up In The Air
Up In The Air is a study in job loss, relationships and loneliness. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a workaholic who compartmentalizes his life by flying on business most of the days of the year. The thirty days he has at his apartment he describes as agony for him until he can go back into his work routine. Bingham spends his time as a hired consultant who fires people for companies who would rather leave the dirty work to a hired gun. Bingham takes great pride in his personal touch when he fires people but feels no guilt about his job. When his company makes changes to how they fire workers it upsets Bingham’s precise world, leaving him vulnerable, a feeling he is not familiar with.
The film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and Clooney and Reitman deservedly earned Oscar nominations for their superb work in the film. Oscar nominations were also given to Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick for their fine performances. Clooney makes his acting look so easy in this film it should be noted there are many layers of work he had to do in order to bring this character to life. This is an excellent movie with fine direction, acting and a screenplay that will wrench your emotions and make you laugh at the same time. The various scenes of workers being fired and their reactions hit home for anyone who has ever been fired or laid off, oftentimes painful to watch. There is fine work done by Jason Bateman, always excellent, and be sure to watch for a number of good cameos throughout the film from J.K. Simmons, Zach Galifianakis and Sam Elliott. If you haven’t seen Up In The Air yet this is a film you won’t want to miss.
2009. Written and directed by Jason Reitman. Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Jason Bateman.
Rating: 
