Review: Up in the Air

It's unlikely that a director has three critically acclaimed hits in a row but after Thank You For Smoking and Juno, Up in the Air may be his biggest hit yet. That has a lot to do with Reitman and Sheldon Turner's adaptation of Walter Kim's novel and as well the lead performance from George Clooney. This is most definitely Clooney's movie although this is an archetypal smooth-talking Clooney performance it suits his corporate-downsizer Ryan Bingham as he travels round the country firing people and holding self-help seminars. Clooney brilliantly portrays a man who finds it hard to form emotional attatchments and pins his success on the air miles that he wants to collect. As the film deals with the loss of jobs, a lot of people have noted on how timely this film is because of the recession, but of course the book was written pre-recession so it is just good timing. Most of the firing scenes are pretty poignant with Reitman casting a lot of people who did lose their jobs during the recession. Although the theme of loss of jobs and identity is one explored in the film we also look at change both in the views of Clooney's Bingham and his company as his life is turned upside down by two women.

The first is Anna Kendrick's Natalie who is trying to change is out-dated travelling ways with new technology claiming she can fire people over the net and while taking her on the road to show her that this couldn't be done he falls for the female-him Vera Farmiga's Alex. Farmiga and Clooney form a great screen partnership and our reminiscent of the 1950s knockabout romantic comedies. Like with Ellen Page in Juno, both of Reitman's lead females are relative unknowns even though Kendrick previously starred in Twillight she wasn't a real name before this film and even I hadn't heard of Farmiga. Both women are accomplished in their roles with Kendrick presenting a well-rounded young woman who at first look is career-centric but at her heart just wants to be loved. While Farmiga's character is a very strong female who although melts Clooney's ice-heart in the film's final third stays quite icy herself.

The film's tone falls down a little bit in the third act with Clooney trying to re-connect with his sisters and her sister's husband-to-be played by Danny McBride while Kendrick all-but-disappears until the final scenes which is a shame. But just as you think we'll have a happy ending the film changes tack again and ends up being very unique. A modern film but with a very classic Hollywood feel that features three brilliant performances, a great director and ultimately a fullfilling screenplay.