I can't stop talking and thinking about this movie. That's how much I love it. I'm not quite sure what it is. Whether it's the great cast, the darkly comedic script, or the tragic but touching story of a man who "lives" in the air and is seemingly content with being disconnected with the world, I just don't know. But that's simply irrelevant. Whatever the case, there is one thing for sure: Jason Reitman has written and directed the perfect movie for this time, or rather the ages.
Loosely based on the book by Walter Kim the story is about a man named Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), whose job is to fire people. And with the economy in its present state, his job is at an all-time high. Traveling from city to city all over America, airports and airplanes are where he spends the majority of his time. He calls spending time at home "dreadful", instead going to the extent of calling the sky his home. The sad thing about Bingham is that he's not all that interested in his job. He's good at it, but he would rather not do it. All he's really interested in is reaching 10 million miles traveled in the air. This is his goal and, sadly, may be his only goal in his life. Bingham seems happy with what he's got, when all along he has nothing. He doesn't want a wife, children, and is not interested in settling. Bingham's philosophy remains unchanged until her meets two women that brings him back to the reality of life. He meets a woman named Alex (Vera Farmiga), a frequent flier like Bingham. Seeing this as a great thing in common, they pursue a steamy relationship. The other woman, or rather girl, that he meets is Natalie (Anna Kendrick), a new, ambitious employee who graduated at the top of her class and is trying to revolutionize the business. What these two women bring to Bingham's life isn't a new perspective on life, but finally the feeling of a connection with something. They make him feel a strong connection with another human being that he's seemingly never felt before. They make a man who thought he was going somewhere with all this flying realize that he wasn't going anywhere at all.
The cast is terrific here, led by the never better George Clooney. He plays Bingham cool, calm, and composed, showing not only Clooney's abilities as an actor, but also that being relaxed can be the most effective way of acting. And because of Clooney's talents as an actor, he gives Bingham a much needed vulnerability. Vera Farmiga is great here as well as Clooney's hope for love, but the unsung hero of this film is the performance of the young Anna Kendrick. Known for being in the Twilight series, she gives an oscar-worthy performance and steals every scene she's in, even those including George Clooney. As I was watching the film, one word kept popping into my mind whenever she was onscreen; irresistible. Look for Academy Award nominations for all three actors as they have been receiving huge praise from countless critics. They have all received Golden Globe nominations already.
"Up In The Air" is a somewhat small film of huge power. It's funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and completely fulfilling. What Jason Reitman accomplishes here is making us care about characters who seem unlikeable at first. You think of Bingham as simply a man with no ambition and who doesn't believe in the joys of a family, but due to Clooney's peformance and Reitman's talents, you sympathize for this man even with these philosophies. Jason Reitman has made a brilliant movie that brings everything up in the air about this man's life back down to earth.
Rating: 4 out of 4
