Up in the Air is 1st Class, But Doesn't Soar
What would you do if you have 10 million frequent flyer miles? Would you save them? Would you use them for business travel? Or would you use them to go anywhere in the world for as long as you want? Those are questions, albeit the least important ones, that the movie Up in the Air asks. This is the new movie starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, and Twilight's Anna Kendrick.
George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a man whose job it is to fire people all around the country - and collects air miles in the process. His job is threatened when Anna Kendrick's Natalie, a straight-out-of-college newbie, suggests the company could cut costs significantly by firing people remotely, laptop to laptop, instead of flying people around for face-to-face confrontations. Ryan balks and ends up having Natalie tagging along with him as he shows her there's more to the job of firing than saying "So long!". That's the basic premise of Up in the Air, which it should be mentioned is directed by Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking and Juno). But, as is the case for Reitman's previous films, it's much more about the characters and how the basic premise affects them.
And what great characters we're given! We see Ryan Bingham's life is about efficiency. He has the leanest luggage, he knows the tricks to finding faster lines, and he has the most hassle-free life - so much so that he has no one in his life to slow him down (family has become peripheral to Bingham's perspective). Which brings to mind his philosophy of the empty backpack, which revolves around disposing all the stuff and people that make it difficult to move in life. As his foil, Anna Kendrick walks in as Natalie, a woman who is also about efficiency but also feels life isn't complete without the human relationships. This carries some irony since her business plan's efficiency distances the firing process from the people being most affected by the process. Oh, and it just so happens to threaten Bingham's job and way of life. This is a particularly juicy part of the story. Natalie's perspective on love is as practical as a job resume; as she runs down the qualities of her ideal mate she strangely similar to a hiring recruitment. Interestingly, both Ryan and Natalie think they know everything, but learn otherwise from each other; Natalie with the business world and Ryan with relationships.
Adding another layer - and complication to Bingham's philosophy - is Vera Farmiga, who is incredibly sexy and confident as Bingham's female counterpart. She may also threaten the life he's made for himself on a more personal level. Farmiga's character, like Zooey Deschanel's Summer Finn, presents a sexual casualness that hasn't before been represented in film as a legitimate characteristic without being judged or punished by the story or audience. When she says, "Think of me as you... with a vagina," she is making a statement to the audience about her playing the part we've seen men play for decades in the movies. She's not judged as a slut or villainness, just a sexually confident woman who comfortably makes her choices without need of commitment. As a result, she is one of the most appealing characters of the year. Of course, all the leads in Up in the Air are and the performances are definitely among the best of the year.
Up in the Air is a funny, well-acted movie with a well-told story. But it's not an outstanding movie. I couldn't help wondering why the movie left me feeling less than emotionally satisfied. The answer is Jason Reitman had no interest in taking a stance on any of the issues it brings up and telling the audience what to think. Up in the Air has an objectivity that leads a lot open to interpretation. That may be what makes it a great movie. However, it's up to the audience whether or not the film suffers for that.
That being said, Up in the Air is an enjoyably unique film with charismatic and interesting characters. I highly recommend it. As for what it says about today's job market, the use of technology in our lives, and what - if anything - is isolating us from each other... my opinion is, well, up in the air.
8/10
Should you see it? Rent
Up in the Air is in theaters now. On DVD and Blu-Ray in April.