"Up in the Air": A Gem of a Movie

"Up in the Air" may be one of the most timely films we've seen in quite some time--Ryan (played beautifully by the great George Clooney) is a professional corporate downsizer so, as our nation's unemployment numbers soar, so, too do Ryan's opportunities--he is on the road more than 300 days/year, zipping from Tulsa to Wichita to Detroit all to deliver the news no one wants to hear: we're going to have to let you go.

As many of you know, I am one of the unemployed...one of the many in that number that hovers above 10% and director Jason Reitman truly captures the sadness, anger, and disbelief that are only a few of the feelings experienced when you've been let go. As you watch, you'll notice that the reactions of those being 'let go' seem particularly authentic and that was achieved by Reitman employing some of the unemployed across the country to let them say their piece, rather than using professional actors for these segments (they were encouraged to react as they did when they were let go OR to react as they wish that they had). Needless to say, some of these people may really articulate what you - or I - am feeling as they've gone through it.

Do you take your favorite unemployed person to see this movie? Debatable. I will say - it did hit home for me and provoked a reaction that was cathartic, prompting me to speak about it afterwards, something I rarely do...usually preferring to avoid the elephant in the room.

The story itself is great as we see Ryan's character develop due to two people who come into his life: one is the young upstart, Natalie, a Cornell grad who wants to completely revamp the way they do things and (gasp!) fire people remotely via a T1 line. Ryan is aghast at this change, not so much because he's so committed to providing people with a person-to-person firing but, it will compromise his lifestyle of being on the road. Or, up in the air, as it were. He is further irritated when his boss (Jason Bateman) forces Ryan to take Natalie under his wing. The second is a love interest, Alex, who seems to be a female version of himself - she is also someone who wants an arrangement with no strings attached and so the two are content plotting their future trysts by comparing their flight & layover schedules.

Vera Farmiga plays Alex and she is quickly becoming one of the finest actresses of our generation. The role of Natalie is played by Anna Kendrick, someone who has only been acting a few years and yet holds her own against Clooney & Farmiga and truly captures the naivete of being young and thinking you can change the system overnight. Also features short but good performances by J.K. Simmons, Jason Bateman and Zach Galifianakis and Melanie Lynsky.

This is a tender, thought-provoking movie that will stay with you and one that you may find yourself discussing afterwards.