Up in the Air, 2009

Up in the Air, 2009
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast:George Clooney (Ryan), Vera Farmiga (Alex)



Stage: Home theatre



Short Synopsis: With a job that has him traveling around the country firing people, Ryan Bingham leads an empty life out of a suitcase, until his company does the unexpected: ground him.


Preps/expectations: I am one of those wackos, watching a piece just because one of the actors I admire is inside (ok, or is cute enough for me not to worry about the content too much). There are some interesting actors in this special club, including Sean Connery, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and also George Clooney. However, the last guy is always attached to the ER period he had and will always be a sexy ER doctor in my head. And god forbid taking me this imaginative image. The "tube him", "give him a CT" and "55 mg of something" while him being a doctor there always sounded sexy coming from this guy's mouth.

Anyhow, I am seeing this as one of potential oscar holders and because I believe Clooney made some interesting movie pieces ever since ER and has grown significantly (take Ocean's 11, 12 for example -ok, 13 is an exaggeration anyway). So I am excited to see it, even though in home theatre.



Reality check: The idea of having a company coming around to fire your employees is superb. Takes off the guilty moral aspect from a boss that doesn't dare to let you go or has another reasons not to look you in the face. And he pays for people coming in and telling you this, giving you the goodies pack and telling you how your life is now one big opportunity. So sarcastic it's really cool. When Clooney does it, you actually have the feeling that he cares. Mistake. Those kind of companies don't care. It goes so far they don't even care for the atmosphere in their own ranks. Seeing a younger, perspective-filled woman, coming in the company and revitalizing all working process without the management even discussing it with their own employees, gives me the sad feeling that they don't even perform in their own house what they sell to the outsiders.

Another story is occuring here - the one, where someone is so caught up in his career and shows and conferences etc, that he doesn't have a life of his own. No serious romances, no home, no family. And for half of the movie I am totally convinced it suits him this way. He neglects all so called family virtues, but everyone around him is married, on the way of getting married, he just seems so calm and satisfied with the way his life is. As a spectator, you don't get the backgrounds for this, just the pure image that he chose this way and he's happy.



The complication begins with a nice lady he has a romance with. Alex is this strong woman he runs into on one of his trips, where they have a hot evening and even a sexier night. And he likes her. He likes her in such a way that at the end he wants to create what he tried to deny existed in him. He actually wants to be with her, romantically, spiritually, maybe even a family? We never see that. It turns out that she's already having a family, kids and he is suddenly a puppet he always thought women were for him. Fortunately, the drama moments are spared until the end of the movie, because it's really depressing seeing someone, being "grown up" and alone. And the moral of this.. I don't actually get it. Maybe, don't be alone? He says it in the movie (one of more inventive quotes: We all die alone, make no mistake about that).



However, I like more this one, that she (his unexpected goddess), tells to his junior colleague: Life is more fun if you can share it with someone.


My personal rating: 7,5 (you will like it, if not for Clooney, then for the message. A more chick movie really, but inspiring in a way that you can even change your deepest values you nurtured for the whole life). I don't suppose it will get the oscar, but it's more than decent fun.




p.s.: IMDB peak: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1193138/

See also this, really cool movie site: http://www.theupintheairmovie.com/
Now, something for the ladies -collection of Clooney footage: http://images.google.com/images?q=george+clooney&rls=com.microsoft:sl:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SKPB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=H3dcS6SdONWM_AbA3KigBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CB0QsAQwAA