Theatrical Review: UP IN THE AIR
Rating: 9.5/10
Writers: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner (screenplay),
Walter Kirn (novel)
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga
Studio: Paramount Pictures
It is hard to decide on the best take-off point with this review (it feels so delicious to be so punny). I’m going to keep it basic and simply state: UP IN THE AIR is a great film that is worthy of all the early Oscar buzz.
The film is about Ryan Bingham (George “Sunset” Clooney), a man who fires people for a living. Ryan loves this job, since it allows him to be on the road almost all the time, and by himself. Ryan believes that family, friends, and personal belongs weigh a person down, something he lets us know through his hobby, motivational speaking. Ryan’s thing is to talk about loading all of your personal possessions and loved ones into a backpack and then trying to move with the tremendous weight created by the extra baggage. Ryan says to lose the baggage and be truly free, and this is his frame of mind when the story begins.
During UP IN THE AIR, Ryan begins to realize that his backpack philosophy is a shitty approach to life due to certain events and changes. Ryan’s life on the road becomes jeopardized when a massive change in the way his job is done seems likely, due to a business proposal by the young-but determined go-getter Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick). Natalie has come up with a new way of doing business, which would keep Ryan at the office and not on the road. Of course, Ryan doesn’t like the idea, and after some barking to his boss about his distaste for this proposal (which includes Ryan verbally attacking the young Natalie and her idea), Ryan’s boss decides that Natalie should go on the road with Ryan for a bit to get a better feel of just what Ryan does.
The new dynamic between Ryan and Natalie is one way that Ryan begins to see that being alone might not be the way to go. Natalie still enjoys life and people, and occasionally fights to show Ryan that he might be wrong as he reveals his life plan to her. This business relationship that comes to border on true friendship is developed through potent emotional exchanges between Ryan and Anna; they are two characters that are both doing important re-evaluating.
A fling with another road warrior Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), that goes on longer and goes deeper than probably most of Ryan’s relationships, is also another major variable that causes some serious reflection by Ryan. The other major factor is the upcoming marriage of Ryan’s sister Julie (Melanie Lynskey). At first, Ryan dreads attending the wedding, but begins to realize, thanks to the relationships already mentioned, that maybe spending time with and actually being a part of family isn’t awful.
UP IN THE AIR keeps the real world in mind as it tells its story about a selfish prick considering changing his ways. Ite gives off a feeling of unbiased honesty that causes one to think “this could all happen just like this,” and that makes UP IN THE AIR moving, as what you can believe and relate to will always be compelling. UP IN THE AIR does a great job of not reminding the audience that they are watching a movie, even in the most pivotal and climatic scenes.
There is also a large amount of humor to be found in UP IN THE AIR; humor that comes about naturally through the characters and does not read like someone punching out one-liners. The one-liner approach does work as long as the jokes are actually funny, but it is the more unassuming approach to laughs that is demonstrated very well in UP IN THE AIR.
UP IN THE AIR offers resonating insight into why you need somebody to love (is that a song?). And I would not think that its Oscar buzz will go away, but rather only get louder as we get closer to the Awards.
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