Matt Kelemen

(2012-04-19 20:02:16)

Just when you start to wonder where the surprise twists will happen, Reitman defies conventional storytelling.

(2012-04-19 09:17:21)

I'm not "up in the air" about this movie -- I genuinely liked it

In fact, liked it a lot. This intelligent adult comedy drama opened wide in U.S. theaters just before Christmas 2009 and offered a welcome alernative to the juvenile comedies and special-effects movies then dominating U.S. screens. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, sort of the opposite of a corporate "head-hunter": he works for a firm that contracts with companies who need some employees axed. That means right now, right today, and leaving no opening for recriminations and lawsuits, after which he jets off to another company's headquarters for a new round of executions. Ryan is excellent at his job, loves to travel and resents even the 45 or so days a year he has to stay "home," in Omaha. But he is waylaid -- Along the way he makes contact with (and love to) a charming middle-aged woman from a similar field, Alex, well-played by Vera Farmiga. Bingham is also saddled with a rather annoying corporate trainee, a young woman straight out of business school who has all the answers to questions nobody asked. Of course, this involves the possibility of a romantic triangle, and the film feints that way, although ultimately UP IN THE AIR is about individual ethics, not etiquette. Clooney is forced to a sobering assessment of what's important in his life and what he may be missing out on that most people would consider part of an ordinary life. As such it is a little closer in message to Clooney's film MICHAEL CLAYTON from two years ago than the usual rom-com. About the only aspect of this film I found disagreeable was the extent to which American Airlines, Hilton-owned hotels and Hertz rental cars burbled along almost as running infomercials, offering Bingham the very best first-class seats, hotel rooms, meals and rental cars and the viewer a great many in-your-face product-type placements. I am glad that this thoughtful, well-paced movie with its great script and top actors, is finding acceptance in the home market through DVDs and the recent Blu-Ray discs.

Michael_Elliott

(2012-04-18 05:55:45)

Extremely Charming

Up in the Air (2009) **** (out of 4) Wonderfully charming film in the same tradition as many Frank Capramovies has George Clooney playing Ryan Bingham, a man who believes inbeing by himself as his job takes him across the country the majorityof the year where he must fire people. When a new woman (Anna Kendrick)enters the picture with plans of changing the company, Ryan takes heron the road and shows how difficult the job can be and why simplyfiring someone over the Internet isn't going to work. Ryan also findshimself getting involved with his family for the first time in yearsand a relationship (Vera Farmiga) that might change his views on life.This film blends comedy and drama unlike too many films I've ever seen.The laughs are never loud ones and the drama is never earth-shatteringor something devastating. I must admit that the gentle nature of thisfilm is what really grabbed me and wouldn't let me go as we've seenthis type of story before yet the performances here are so fresh andthe screenplay so sharp that you'll feel as if you're seeing this stufffor the very first time. Taking a cue from Capra and throwing incurrent political drama, the film takes a real look at unemployment andthe drama behind such events but this is used to just make our threemain characters a lot stronger and I thought this back burner story ofthis really added a lot to the movie and something we wouldn't normallysee. The screenplay stays an a neutral tone from start to finish andeven though there are funny moments, serious moments and some rathersad moments, the movie keeps everything at the same level and I reallyfound this tone to perfectly fit everything that was going on. Itshould come as no shock but Clooney delivers another very strongperformance as while watching him work it dawned on me that there's notanother actor alive that could have played this role and made it workso well. Clooney has a certain laid back charm that perfectly fit thischaracter and you can't help but fall for this charm while watching thefilm. He works extremely well with the two female actresses and I'dprobably say that the romantic side to all of these perhaps gives ussome of the best chemistry of any film of the decade. The sternKendrick perfectly fits her role as she's so naive in some of herthinking that you can't help but like her. Farmiga is really becomingone of the best actresses to watch in today's cinema and she once againdelivers a very memorable performance. The sexual chemistry between herand Clooney is quite erotic and the charm they give off really makesthe film something special. We also have Jason Bateman in a nicesupporting role as well as Sam Elliott in a brief part. This type offilm isn't easy to pull off by director Reitman handles it allextremely well and makes something pretty special. Even though themovie was pushed as a Hollywood film, it's certainly far from that asthere are certainly a few twists and turns that you wouldn't expect.

Michael A. Smith

(2012-04-17 18:58:58)

...Clooney delivers a performance for the ages...

kosmasp

(2012-04-05 19:49:41)

Off the leash

This is one of the best things Clooney has been in. And he is reallyexceptional. It's not just a fluke, that all the three main actors werenominated for the Academy Award. It is funny at moments, but also verydeep and dramatic most of the time. It is also a stroke of genius tolet real people be "interviewed" during a pivotal scene and thereformake it more authentic.One of the best movies to have come out in 2009, this really is ashowcase for the actors (as mentioned), with a story to back them up.And you still cannot mention Clooney enough, especially because thisseems to be as close to the real man or some of his real dilemmas thathe has. And he still didn't back down from that challenge. A reallygood movie, with a great ending then.

okmaybent

(2012-04-05 08:29:27)

What are we rooting for in this movie?

What did George Clooney's character want? Who knows? At first he wantsto stay on the road. But once he goes back on the road with the girl hedoesn't seem to even try to prove his usefulness. Then when he gets thephone call from his boss that they are both being called back home hehas a "whatever" attitude about it. So as an audience what are werooting for???? The script was flat and boring and the ending wasabrupt as useless. There was really no beginning middle and end. Just alot of mindless depressing muddled middle. Why? What was the point?A good script has the character striving for a goal. We relate to thatgoal and want him or her to attain it. However when that goal is absentas in this dreck we disconnect because we are not sure what to root forto satisfy the character. Also good scripts have a ending thatsatisfies us rather than an open ended ending that just leaves usconfused as to why we wasted our time.

barrow29

(2012-04-04 18:09:06)

What are we doing here?

What are we doing here? Asks the groom-to-be of Ryan Bingham's sister,as he contemplates his entire life the day of his wedding. This is aquestion that we all ask, and a question we all have different answersto. "Up in the Air" has an idea of what that answer may be, andunfortunately, our protagonist, Mr. Bingham, isn't able to figure itout.The story begins with a rapid pace, showing the everyday life of RyanBingham-- a man whose only goal is to reach 10 million sky miles. Thisis a goal that keeps his motivational clock ticking and gives him asense of purpose in a world he believes to be full of people clingingto ideas that just don't make sense.He is able to attain this goal because of his job. He fires people fora living. He flies from city to city and does the job that his boss istoo passive and insensitive to do.At the beginning of the story, Bingham actually believes he is happy.He believes this because he doesn't know any other way. He has livedhis life from hotel to hotel and from plane to plane for so long, heconsiders it home. He meets a woman named Alex that has similarambitions and style. They flirt and have a one night stand and decideto continue the casual relationship.His boss calls all of the termination specialists into the head officeto discuss a change of pace. A new and young employee by the name ofNatalie Keener has proposed an idea to fire people via video chat onthe Internet. This immediately frightens the heck out of Bingham, andhe does not want his home snatched away from him like that. The bosssuggests that Bingham show Keener the ropes of firing.Bingham's relationship with Alex continues to grow and he seriouslystarts to feel emotional even though he brushes it off consciously.Keener starts to confront Bingham about his lifestyle, and Binghamclaims to not care about emotion or love. Keener's words seeped intoBingham's subconscious because he suddenly decided to start followinghis heart for the first time in his life.It's almost like Bingham is in high school and is experiencing all ofthis exciting emotion for the first time, but we feel it too. We see acertain skip in his step and a smile in his formerly stern face.Unfortunately, the world isn't so gracious to Ryan Bingham, and hefinds out who he is, and who he used to be.The film seems to be a stereotypical love drama for the first half orso. Then it turns into something else. It turns into a film that makesyou think about where society is at this point in time. It's a filmthat makes you wonder how cruel and hopeless the world can be. Thestory ends on a bittersweet note though, with Bingham staring at thedestination board at the airport. We don't know where Bingham isheading, but I have a feeling it's not to fire someone.

Nick Rogers

(2012-04-04 04:16:05)

Incisive and occasionally sad, this captured the zeitgeist of the late-Zeroes' tectonically shifting economics. But Jason Reitman's generous, rich, rewarding tragicomedy of occupational dissatisfaction will still wow viewers even after (hopeful) recovery.

John Wirt

(2012-03-27 20:31:29)

Well-crafted, well-acted and ambitious as Up In The Air is, the movie's third act taxies to nowhere.

Amy Adler

(2012-03-27 09:50:53)

Few movie fans will be "up in the air" about this one, its a truly great film

Ryan (George Clooney) is an ace at what he does. He works for acompany, under boss Craig (Jason Bateman), which sends him all over thecountry to corporations who are downsizing. Its Ryan's job to givethose being "axed" the bad news. As distasteful as this might seem,Ryan does it with care and consideration, giving the newly fired adviceon how to overcome this temporary setback. But, what Ryan loves MOSTabout his job is that he gets to travel everywhere and is never in oneplace very long. Unmarried and disliking commitments and family ties,he is rarely at his tiny apartment in Omaha. One day, however, a sortof reckoning occurs. The new business hotshot at Ryan's firm, Natalie(Anna Kendrick) has convinced Craig that video conferencing is the bestway to go. No more flying here and there and wasting money. They can dotheir "dirty work" from their headquarters in Omaha. Ryan is upset, tosay the least. He makes some sharp observations about why it won't workand he insists that Craig let him take the biz whiz on some trips toget a clearer picture of the operations. Craig agrees. Meanwhile, Ryanhas met a fellow frequent flyer businesswoman, Alex (Vera Farmiga) in ahotel lobby and they are starting to "arrange" their schedules to meettime and again. Is this the beginning of something? Not likely. As Ryanand Natalie travel to Wichita, Detroit and many other places, Nataliedoes learn what a difficult job it is to let someone go gracefully,even in person. She also flounders when HER perfect boyfriend calls itquits. Will the video-termination idea fall apart permanently? This isa great film, tackling many difficult issues with courage. For example,what is most important in life, our work or our family connections?Don't laugh, for our jobs sustain our families, making it difficult foreveryone when positions are lost. Also, should we open our hearts, onlyto have them broken? As the players in this drama, the cast is trulygreat. Clooney is terrific as the flying "loner", who isn't happy withthe changes to his present life. At critical times, his marvelousfacial expressions say it all. Farmiga, Kendrick, and Bateman also dosuperb work, as do the lesser cast members. Costumes, sets, andcinematography are very fine. Especially noteworthy are the aerialviews of cities just as Ryan's plane is landing. But, it is the scriptand rock-solid direction of Jason Reitman that take top honors. Here isa story with so much substance that it belies the feeling of "air".Therefore, if you never want to miss the "heavyweights" of Americanfilm, race over to the nearest cinema and buy a ticket for this one. Itis a classic stand-out in the cinematic world.

(2012-03-25 04:28:33)

No More 24-Hour Rentals

This review is from: Up in the Air (Amazon Instant Video) Great movie, but the 24-hour viewing window is absurd. I'm done with accepting that ridiculous condition. Never again. Makes me sympathetic to piracy - is stealing from pirates wrong?

(2012-03-24 05:56:33)

A Complex, But Satisfying Journey Through One Aspect Of The Human Psyche

Ask most people what they would do with an unexpected sum of money, and this answer will likely pop up quite a bit: travel the world. Well, Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) gets to do exactly that...for his job.Bingham, while "up in the air" 322 days out of the year, makes a living by firing people at the request of major corporations who would rather not do the dirty deed themselves. He seems to live a blissfully happy life, unburdened by the responsibilities of home & family, and enjoys his routine immensely. Until, that is, he meets someone just like him...Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga). Throw in spunky new sidekick Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), who sets out to change the way he does business, and Bingham is forced to re-evaluate all of life's priorities.What really makes this film work is, much like Gran Torino, the unbiased nature of the storytelling (making it the exact opposite of a film like Avatar). Viewers are treated to two completely different sorts of life (both on the road and settling down at home) with all the pros and cons included, and must (through Bingham) come to their own conclusion about which life is more satisfactory.The acting is also terrific, with Clooney doing what he's done for years and finding a good thespian match in Farmiga. However, it truly is young Kendrick who nearly steals the show with her energetic performance. Her character superbly represents the thoughts and feelings going through the heads/hearts of the viewers, questioning Bingham on nearly ever decision he makes. I don't say this too often about young people in the film business, but the sky is the limit for this woman based on this incredible performance.Finally, a little anecdote about why this movie may touch you as it did me:When I was five years old, my father played a little trick on me. He said he had a "magic pill" (a common vitamin, of course!) that would make me stay "five forever", allowing me to go to school and play with my toys ad infinitum. I took the bait hook, line, and sinker, but only after swallowing the pill were the consequences brought to my attention, such as seeing all my little friends grow up, always having to take naps, etc. After a bit of contemplation, I then chose the "antidote" to set things right again.Filmmaker Jason Reitman operates under the same concept with "Up in the Air". We are first given a glance into the seemingly wonderful life of the man on the road, but only upon deeper introspection do we discover the true nature of his often lonely existence. What makes things interesting, of course, is the fact that his decision is much more meaningful than from some five year old.Thus, I strongly recommend this to film fans of any and all kinds for its deep story and incredible acting. If, say, Avatar turned you off by its overly black-and-white themes, this is the antithesis.

(2012-03-19 14:34:22)

Up in the Air Review

This review is from: Up in the Air (DVD) The DVD was just like a new one. I was actually cast as an "extra" in that movie. I can be seen for a few seconds just to the left of George Clooney on the dance floor at the wedding reception. Since I am in it, I definitely wanted a copy. My friend, (who was also cast as an extra, but you only see his bald spot) and I have shown it several times to our friends and family members. We are very happy with the quality. The movie was great! I don't think I could have found a better price with the same quality anywhere else.

Huseyn Buenos

(2012-03-19 06:05:23)

I'm not surprised Natalie and George nominated for Oscar..

There are some kind of movies where is not a very important and vitalproblems of the society and people relationships showed. For example,Avatar, Transformers, Spiderman, Batman etc. Up In The Air of course isnot from the line of such movies. Maybe, you could think that Batman isa fantasy and Up In The Air is a drama and their comparison is notright, but let's talk about a movie-not about the genres. Being a manwho thinks that every movie, even if movie couldn't give to people asmuch as books, must make people a little happier and more experienced.Doesn't matter it's not your own experience. So let's talk about thisparticular movie with George Clooney. I liked his acting always, but heshouldn't play in movies like BURN AFTER READING. Because when he actsin movies like Up In The Air we all can how perfect actor he is. Movieis nice, easy and has a very deep meaning. I like such movies. Wishit'll get Oscar. Another few words is for Anna Kendrick whoseperformance unquestionably deserved Oscar nomination. I don't knowwhether she'll get or she's too young yet for it, but she deserved it.

Dennis Schwartz

(2012-03-17 12:08:11)

Timely Hollywood dramedy about the human fallout over job loss during the current hectic economic times.

(2012-03-17 03:29:09)

Sharp/witty, relevant, excels in all areas

I cant believe the hype this film is getting - or maybe I just didn't get it. It starts off ok enough Clooney in cruise control playing George Clooney just like every other film he is in. Then oh oh trout pout love interest Vera Farmiga shows up - with the worst body double you have ever seen for the nude scene - and the film becomes yet another sappy rom-com. But what makes this worse is that while it tries to take itself seriously regarding lay-offs, unemployment, love marriage, whats the point of it all blah blah - it runs off down the buddy movie path with that old clichГѓВ© of the old pro (Clooney) and the young eager but green new recruit ( Anna Kendrick ) who Clooney takes under his wing and guides her through the job while she helps him become a better person.Oh dear how many movies have tread this wearisome path. Not interesting not funny not particularly well acted - how on earth did this get such glowing reviews from the critics?

Dale

(2012-03-10 09:34:32)

One of the best in a long time

I know this sounds grouchy, but way too often after I go to the movie, I am thinking -- well, there's two hours of my life (plus admission and baby-sitter fees) that I'll never get back.Well, this wasn't one of those movies! Interesting premise. Engaging dialog. Excellent acting. Entirely believable. And, most of all, it stays with you. It's been a week since I've seen this film and it still lingers in my mind.My criteria for an excellent film, concert or live theatre is whether it makes you a better person. I am not sure this film does that, but I wonder whether that is more about me than the film. You see, it keeps knocking at this inner doors of my psyche still trying to say something ... what I am not yet sure ...

Rick Groen

(2012-03-09 13:09:58)

Reitman possesses a flair for off-kilter scenarios, and he's in fine form again, taking his triangulated principals -- Ryan, Alex, Keener -- out of their comfort zones and into a more complicated geometry.

aiga

(2012-03-08 08:45:59)

He's a sad and lonely man... but the movie is great!

It is great! I could say that it is brilliant even. I just saw itrecently, but lately (since "Avatar" :D) it is the best I've seen.George Clooney is a great actor. I do love him not just because I'm agirl (Let's face it! Women love him because he is what he is.), butbecause he gives great performances one after another. A movie with hisname in the titles guarantees a good time. So, yeah! I'm a fan. Butlet's speak about the movie... I loved it. I loved its fresh humor, thesadness of the story and how it was blended to make a perfect,refreshing cocktail. This is a movie about a man who has lived all hislife in a certain manner, is used to certain things and ways, iscommitted to a life of a bachelor (Even more than that! He doesn't evenhave an address that he would call his home, and basically lives out ofa suitcase by choice.). He denies family and marriage. All theinteraction he needs he gets from flight attendants (That's anoverstatement, but it basically explains his level of need for otherpeople.) One day this man realizes that the philosophy, he has beenliving by, might be flawed and he just might want to try out some ofthat regular stuff that all of us are dreaming off since we were 5years old, or so. He just might commit to another person. And guesswhat!!! It all blows up in his face! It seams so unfair... so sad. Hewas ready to change his life for another person, but it turned out,nobody needed him different. I felt so sorry for this man. He has shuthimself off from the world and now, that he wants to rejoin, it doesn'tlet him. Is it too late at some point to change your stars??? I guessthat the lesson is: be careful what you wish for - you might just getit. SO, the actors were great. George of course! I love Vera Farmiga.She is great and charming as always. I must point out Anna Kendrick'sperformance. She has something. I must agree with the many comments outthere who all claim that she has a great potential. I truly enjoyed herperformance. It is nothing like the Twilight saga. Good luck to her!But all these wonderful actors were brought together to tell aninteresting and fresh story. Not everyone will like it, but it's asmart movie. It's not for everyone.

Bobby Elliott

(2012-03-08 00:05:13)

Enjoyable movie

My wife and I both enjoyed this movie. It's no classic and, in my view,doesn't merit an 8+ IMDb rating but it is a nice movie and I'm surethat most people will enjoy it."Nice" maybe isn't the right word since it has a message about how tolive your life - and reminds us how awful being fired really is. So ithas a serious message -- and it's a pleasure to watch, thanks toexcellent performances by all the lead characters. So what's not tolike? Well, for one thing, the story is worthy and well-told but don'texpect some great movie since the plot isn't up to those expectations.I preferred Michael Clayton, which was a much deeper movie than thisone.But you won't be disappointed with this film unless your expectationsare too high to begin with. A worthy 7/10. Time and money well spent.