[REVIEW] Up in the Air

[Emperor]

Quick Summary:  Best movie of the year so far.

 

Connections are the most important thing we make as human beings, but not everyone is capable or driven to make them. And then there are those select few human beings that actively discourage connections with other people or possessions. In the case of Ryan Bingham (played with a marvelous, understated blend of charm and contempt by George Clooney), the only connections that matter are those at airports (although being the seasoned business traveler that he is, he probably would laugh at the very idea of booking a flight that required a connection), and the only groups he wants to belong to usually involve a platinum card that is earned after millions of miles of flying or staying at the same hotel chain for the better part of a given year.

 

Bingham is a man that believes that the life unencumbered by connections is the only life worth living; if you've seen the phenomenal teaser trailer for UP IN THE AIR, then you've heard the backpack speech--the one that ends "We are not swans; we are sharks." And perhaps the most remarkable things about Clooney's portrayal of Bingham is that despite the fact that I couldn't disagree with his personal mission statement more, I still find him one of the most fascinating and easy-to-identify characters put on screen in 2009. And it goes without saying that writer-director Jason Reitman (who has brought us other equally unlikely heroes in THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and JUNO) spends much of UP IN THE AIR (adapted from the book by Walter Kirn) trying to introduce elements into Bingham's life that challenge his life's philosophy that if we stop moving because we are weighed down by life's connections, we effectively die as humans. And Reitman does such a masterful job telling this story without judgment that by the end of the film you'll either feel that our antihero might be on to something, or you'll want to hug the person sitting next to you just to remind yourself that knowing people is a good thing.

 

Far from a feel-good movie (although odds are you'll feel pretty great watching Reitman's adept balance of humor and drama), there is something wonderfully life affirming and a little seductive about the experience of watching Bingham go through his work as an efficiency expert who is called in when corporations are forced to fire people in large numbers. Observing Bingham go through his routine is like watching a master carpenter build a grandfather clock. We assume there is no one better at it than the caring, sensitive man who tells the distraught employees that he's there to help them find new employment and that he/she should look at this as an opportunity to live out your life’s dream rather than a setback. Bingham is a walking contradiction in many ways, all of which are fascinating. He's about staying disconnected, yet he insists on doing the firings in person to bring a human touch to his job. This partially explains why, when his boss (Jason Bateman) brings on a new face to the company who has created a way of firing people via webcast rather than flying Bingham and his coworkers all over the country, he feels severely threatened.

 

The young, energetic new employee with the big ideas is Natalie, played by Anna Kendrick (her best role before this one was in the little-seen ROCKET SCIENCE, but she's probably best known for playing Jessica in the TWILIGHT films--don’t hold that against her), and she's a spectacular combination of confidence and naivety. Bateman wants Natalie to learn the ropes of the job and saddles Bingham with the assignment of dragging her along with him on the road with the possibility of beta testing out her new firing methods. Lest you think this is some cheesy older-man/younger-woman scenario, please think again. Nothing in UP IN THE AIR is that simple or obvious. But that doesn't make their relationship any less interesting and unpredictable. Through Natalie, we learn a bit about the way Bingham lives his life--from the way he expedites his time in airports (apparently getting in security lines behind Asians is a huge time saver) to packing to getting room upgrades at hotels to crashing hospitality suites at conventions that happen to be booked at the same hotel you're staying in. Those of you who do a fair amount of business travel will probably want to buy Ryan Bingham his next drink for all the great pointers.

 

During the course of the film, we also learn his take on interpersonal relationships, including those with family members and potential romantic entanglements. One night at a hotel bar, Ryan meets Alex (Vera Farmiga, that rarest mix of beauty, class, and intelligence), a woman who is living a life very similar to his. They compare VIP cards for hotel chains, airlines, and car rental companies, and they both get very turned on. What results is the closest thing that Bingham has to a relationship. They compare schedules every so often and see when they might be within a couple hundred miles of each other in the days to come. It's sweet and a bit sad, but mostly I found them an exciting item and it's beyond clear that Alex might be the one Ryan breaks all his rules for. And once again, I'll ask that you keep telling yourself that nothing in UP IN THE AIR is that obvious.

 

The third set of female relationships that Bingham has is with his largely estranged sisters, Julie and Kara (Melanie Lynskey and Steppenwolf ensemble member Amy Morton, who has only been in a handful of TV show and films, but I love seeing her in anything). Julie is getting married (to Danny McBride's Jim, who is suffering from a nasty case of cold feet), and although Ryan wasn't even sure he could make the wedding, he does manage to make it with Alex as his stunning date. Heck, he even helps avert a crisis when Jim is having second thoughts about married Julie. And let's imagine, if we can, receiving relationship advice from a man who has made a name for himself telling other people that connections are a bad thing (yes, Ryan is a budding motivational speaker, as well). And for one of the many reasons this is the finest performance of his career, Clooney pulls the scene together and delivers a pep talk so convincing that you can't help but be impressed.

 

There's a great sequence when Ryan, Natalie and Alex all end up together at a party, and for a brief moment you see that the three have become a temporary family. Natalie's long-distance boyfriend has just broken up with her, and Ryan and Alex are attempting to console her and, more than that, get her back on her feet by getting her a little tipsy and back in the game with some of the lovely conventioneers at the party. Mom and dad have helped their little girl heal and sent her back into the world. But that scene is just one of many perfectly realized moments from UP IN THE AIR, a film in which there isn't a single poor performance, false moment, or predictable turn. Does Ryan Bingham discover the error of his way of thinking? The better question might be, can you handle it if he doesn't? At the same time, you may wonder whether it's possible to care about man who lives a diametrically opposed life to the one you live. UP IN THE AIR isn't a film attempting to shatter your value system, but it does require you to think and judge for yourself. Director Reitman does not lead you by the hand toward foregone conclusions about any of his characters. Instead, he wisely presents them to you and asks that you evaluate these men and women on your own.

 

Through its note-perfect use of laughter, tears, and some of the best character building you're going to see all year, UP IN THE AIR is a film that can be watched repeatedly, and each time, you'll discover something new and remarkable. There's an easy flow and dignity to this movie that made watching it the most effortless and enjoyable experience I've had in months, but it still made me ponder (and often reaffirmed) my definitions of connections, relationships, family, and friends. There's a genuine pleasure to watching UP IN THE AIR that I get from so few other films this or any other year, and I truly can't wait to revisit Ryan and the circle of acquaintances that clutter his life. With less than a month to go in 2009 (and only three or four year-end films still to see), UP IN THE AIR is my favorite film of the year to date.

 

 

[Krakalakachkn]

I really like Reitman's earlier stuff, and I'm really looking forward to this!

[Emperor]

The wife and I saw it this weekend.  When I say this is the best movie I have seen all year I want you to keep in mind the other movies that have come out so far.  Transformers 2, GI Joe, New moon, Wolverine...err... then there are some actual good ones like Star Trek, Taken and District 9.  This is the complete movie though... with emotional attachments to the characters, a great plot and Oscar potential... not just a roller coaster ride popcorn flick.

[Cadsuane]

I, too, saw it this weekend.

 

*gives it a couple thumbs up*