I really wanted to love Up in the Air, starring the fabulous George Clooney and adorable Anna Kendrick, but I felt it was lacking something. In a lot of ways, it was like a mediocre first date. It was nice, and I enjoyed it well enough, but is it really something to get excited about? Something that I want to see again? I’m still not sure.
The Jason Reitman directed flick tells the tale of Ryan Bingham (Clooney), a downsizing expert that lives out of a suitcase, traveling the United States to perform layoffs for corporate hot shots without the balls to dismiss their own employees. Bingham aspires to be a be a motivational speaker, and encourages people to cut themselves free of possessions and people alike. “What’s in your backpack?” He asks. “Do you feel how heavy it is? It’s weighing you down… it’s slowing you down… moving is living… We are sharks.” Bingham is a man with no ties to anyone and no purpose for his life – save one feat: earning 10 million air miles. Ryan Bingham’s boat is rocked by the addition of Cornell graduate Natalie Keener (Kendricks), who has the lofty goal of revolutionizing the industry by instituting terminations through iChat. With his goal of 10 million miles at stake, Ryan, however begrudgingly, allows Natalie to shadow him on his tour of terminations. Natalie challenges Ryan’s views on relationships and people, and encourages Bingham to pursue Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), a similarly minded corporate type that he hooks up with whenever their flight paths cross. Ryan finally lets another person into his life, only to find that Alex has a husband and children at home. He does, however, begin to reconnect with his family and learn to value his relationship with his much younger shadow, Natalie. Still, with his goal of 10 million air miles under his belt, Ryan finds that his life, his future, and any sense of purpose (you guessed it) is completely up in the air…
The chemistry between Clooney and Kendrick was undeniable, and their playful bickering made the film for me; however, with Kendrick grounded and fading into oblivion during the latter part of the film, the plot fell flat. When Ryan showed up at the Chicago home of Alex, it seemed predictable that she would shatter his heart. It was also predictable when Ryan donated one million of his air miles to his sister’s honeymoon clause. And it was predictable that he found himself alone and (one more!) up in the air. As he eventually admits, life is really nothing without a co-pilot.
I did enjoy the irony of the film. It was interesting to find that the people struggling through their terminations were the ones with the most to live for. Without his life on the road, it quickly became apparent that Ryan Bingham had nothing to live for. In this economic climate, it was a fitting message; employment is not the measure of success in life - relationships are.
I would give the film four out of five stars – just because I adore George Clooney and Anna Kendrick. Up in the Air is definitely not the best film of the year, but I would be happy enough (at this stage in my Tour de Oscar) for George to take home the Oscar for best actor in a leading role; I’d be even happier if Kendrick took home the award for best actress in a supporting role.
