Movie Review – Up in the Air (2009)

Up in the Air (2009/2010) Rated R
George Clooney
Directed by Jason Reitman (Juno, The Office)
Runtime – 1hr. 48 minutes
Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 44 wins & 52 nominations

The old DVD circuit has been pretty dry the past few months with releases that I had missed in the theater, and was glad I did. Up in the Air was one that I had wanted to see in the theater as well, and after watching it on DVD was wishing I had. Fortunately I did decide to catch it on DVD and was extremely pleased – one of my top films of the past year.

Watching the trailer I was uncertain of what the film was exactly about. This type of movie you couldn’t really capture any of the feeling because it is so dialogue-driven and the dramatic humor doesn’t translate well to 5 second clips. The story synopsis is “Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.” That description doesn’t do justice to the layering of topics and reflections that this film delves into.

In one review, the film was described as a Frank Capra-esque movie that captures our anxieties and culture of resilience. The film is very timely, as it takes head-on the economic climate and massive layoffs that are turning lives upside down…and what that all means. There is an extensive cast of great “cameos” by actors who play the parts of those laid off in the film, and the only criteria seemed to be their acting ability. These short scenes are extremely well played.

The film really focuses on two themes – the idea that Bingham (Clooney) lives his entire life in airports with no connections, and separately the people he helps companies fire that find their connections turned on their head. The two sides don’t seem to understand each other’s ability to find happiness in those type of lives.

Clooney (the satisfied disconnected) meets the frequent-flyer woman of his dreams and realizes that having connections – family, kids, settling down, may actually be the answer, though the irony is that he wants it with a woman just like him. In addition, a bad turn of events within his own company forces him to deal with the fact that the lifestyle he’s chosen for his entire adult life may be reaching its end. Much like those he’s paid to help through the end of their careers.

There is much more layer and amazing dialogue (and Clooney is terrific with the supporting cast here) than any review or description can capture. The film doesn’t have a tight plot, but moves the action at all the right times to a new scenario before it ever gets boring. The dialogue was so good that I ended up rewinding multiple times to make sure I caught what they were saying. Normally I don’t care if I miss a few words. I found it awesome in this film that I didn’t want to miss a single one.

Does the film solve the big problems everyone copes with about life, connections, love, and career? I think film reviewer Jake Tomlinson put it best about the film, saying “As a moviegoer, this film provides a satisfying experience where one can take a step back to ponder some of the finer points in our daily lives, but don’t expect to find all the answers here.”

3.5 out of 4 stars

Check out the trailer