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Up in the Air (2009)

Director: Jason Reitman

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29 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

‘Up in the Air’ seeks comedy from two of America’s – indeed the Western world’s – most current fears: flying and redundancy. A tough ask, you might think, but director Jason Reitman offers an enjoyable balance of laughs and sorrows, pratfalls and body blows, even if this charming road movie (or should that be air movie?), adapted by Reitman and screenwriter Sheldon Turner from a 2001 novel by Walter Kirn, finally doesn’t end up anywhere nearly as interesting or original as the enticing signposts suggest en route.

This is Reitman’s third film after ‘Thank You for Smoking’ and ‘Juno’, both of which were much less assured when it came to marrying social reality and laughs. George Clooney is Ryan Bingham, a bachelor and corporate lone gun who derives more pleasure from the 300-plus days a year he spends travelling around the country making people redundant than the 43 ‘miserable’ ones he spends at home in a characterless apartment, out of step with the parochial glamour of his middle-rung executive lifestyle.

Bingham, played winningly straight by Clooney, is a rare airborne species whose entire existence is threatened when his company hires tight-faced, thrusting young graduate Natalie Keener (a fun Anna Kendrick) to reassess the company’s operations. This preppy pipsqueak’s big idea is to stop sending reps around the country and instead give clients’ employees their marching orders via a glorified version of Skype. It’s an idea that falls sympathetically on credit-crunched managerial ears, although Bingham’s worried reaction reflects our conflicted response to the movie as a whole: half of him fears for those about to be sacked by satellite, while the other half fears losing a lifestyle that allows him to indulge in pleasures such as no-strings affairs with fellow travellers like Alex (Vera Farmiga), a good-time lady who implores him to ‘think of me as yourself with a vagina’. We might sympathise with those clearing their desks, but the threat of not being able to tag along with Clooney for the ride feels just as critical. It’s an honest point: empathy only ever stretches so far.

For all its superficial topicality, ‘Up in the Air’ mostly feels old-fashioned, nostalgic even, in its fond lament for a pre-9/11 world of travel. There are no security scares in this world. Its fetishisation of the rituals of flying is near-pornographic, with check-in girls substituting for bedfellows and frequent-flyer cards for sex toys. Bingham’s winning of millions of air miles come across as notches on his bed post. He’s the Warren Beatty of interstate business travel.

It’s a pleasure to watch an adult American comedy that tries to deal with the real world, however much of a fantasy it carves from it. But the film’s later scenes as Bingham attends the wedding of a distant sister and has to face some ground-level realities about himself and his relationships are not as convincing or edifying as they should be and his sideline in motivational speaking never rings true as a symbol of his changing attitude to life. The film’s final announcement that even the most frequent flights of imagination have to touch down at some point is conventional and a little disappointing. But the journey is a riot while it lasts.

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London Issue 2056: 14-20 January, 2010

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User reviews of this film

TrickyDicky said...

Posted on Feb 11 2010 11:02 As a result of ‘flu, I missed quite few films at the start of this year. I always try to see as many of the Oscar nominated movies as I can. So come late January, I had quite a bit of catching up to do. I’ve already written a review for this film (see below), and gave it one star. Having now caught the majority of the other others nominations, I can only say I think I was being generous in awarding this film a single star. Really, it’s complete drivel. I’m surprised “The Academy” nominated this film for an Oscar - it’s not funny (the rest of the audience certainly didn’t think so). It got boring very quickly. I wonder how much lobbying went on by the producer/film studio to get this nominated. Perhaps “The Academy” got it confused with Pixar’s “Up 2d” and “Up 3d”, and assumed “Up in the Air” was something innovative, witty, and something with which an audience can engage. Alas, “Up in the Air” is none of those things.
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Films like “The Hurt Locker”, “A Prophet”, and “A Single Man” are films that really deserve their multiple nominations (and awards). George Clooney’s beginning to look like a man hasty to make a few bucks, rather than keen to make a good, award winning movie for which he’ll be remembered. At this rate he’ll only ever be remembered for consistently choosing dross in which to “star”. Rating: Zero stars - because it's painful to watch.

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Alice said...

Posted on Feb 10 2010 20:54 I loved this film and Clooney is brilliant. It showed the best and worse of America. Can't undertand why people hated the cheesy wedding; this is the real stuff folks, nothing cheesy, just reality. Ryan is from Omaha, not from Manhattan and the film shows the contrast between 'little' America and 'hip' USA. And Alex expressed all the traditional male cliches-to see Clooney shattered and rejected....that was a treat! Great film.

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villardi said...

Posted on Feb 08 2010 12:01 The last time I commented on a movie here, a serious man, I ended up getting racially abused, so ouch. I enjoyed this one, it was a good story, geneuinely dry and witty, i found the characters interesting, if a little unbelievable, as they were far too attractive for the job they did of large scale firings of employees. Made me think abaout the meaning of relationships , but not in any profound way, and i didn't see coming the way the story panned out, which is always a nice surprise. I admire clooney for the diversity of his work. A thoughtful and intelligent actor who understands that film can educate as well as entretain. Hope I haven't upset anybody this time!

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DV said...

Posted on Feb 05 2010 09:15 Subtle, funny and moving. Go and see it if you have an interest in the unusual, empathy and compassion, and a sense of romance. Plenty of sniggers in our cinema.

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I Don`t Give A Damn said...

Posted on Feb 05 2010 08:56 Frankly M`Dear...just cos someone doesn`t enjoy a movie that you do enjoy does not mean they lack intelligence, thought and imagination. This film is rubbish.

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Mehdi said...

Posted on Feb 04 2010 17:59 I dont care if this film was deep enough or if the acting was oscar-worthy.. the film was, to put it simply, very enjoyable... you do see yourself in Ryan's shoes every now and then.. It has really funny moments and is almost comparable to the director's earlier film, Thank You For Smoking..
There was one scene that I thought was literally STOLEN out of Closer.. but I think I'll leave that to those who've seen both films..
for now, just watch it and enjoy the real-life laughter and irony of corporate success..

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Frankly M'Dear said...

Posted on Feb 02 2010 18:25 This film is subtle, and subtly amusing. It reuires thought and imagination, which, fairly obviously, too many of those who went, found far past their capabilities. It's not a great film, neither is it bad, or boring. I think that many of the reviews here are by people who are used to too much sex, violence & dumbing down....it is DIFFERENT, and relevant to the way things were It IS entertaining, and a very tongue-in-cheek oerformance by Clooney. It probably won't win awards, but neither should it be dismissed. Worth seeing if you have intelligence & undersanding of this particular genre.

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Tom McMaster said...

Posted on Feb 02 2010 08:39 Went to see this film expecting to see a comedy with lots of laughs. I was very disappointed, and only was there nothing to laugh about, the storyline was so predictable and sad too.

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alison said...

Posted on Jan 29 2010 11:23 So bad it made my teeth hurt. The layering of predictable cliches was truly astounding. You knew they were coming but pleading for them not to. From the top-trumps-loyalty-card scene at the beginning to the all-you-need-is-love montage at the end it reeks of sentimental banality. It was the worst film I have ever seen and I like George Clooney. Don't waste your money, don't go.

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JinB said...

Posted on Jan 26 2010 00:36 Jenk I completely agree with your comment this film was such a damp squib. For a film which was supposed to be at least slightly alternative, I was frustrated and disappointed beyond belief that it had to end with themes of marriage and longterm love. What a letdown, George Clooney I expected more!

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jenk said...

Posted on Jan 25 2010 16:38 A real disappointment, when so many of the papers had given it 5 stars. It could and should have been so much better. I do feel sorry for the three people in front of us in the queue, who could not see their 1st choice so i said to them 'Up in the air' has 5 stars so they bought tickets for that film instead! I hid as they left the cinema!!

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critique said...

Posted on Jan 25 2010 16:00 Shiny American pap. I watched `A Prophet` straight after this and the contrast is startling.

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oldbrit said...

Posted on Jan 25 2010 14:20 Well this certainly polarises viewers, who either love it or loathe it! I thought the premise was clever the script largely good and it had some fabulous set-ups and dialogue. The three main characters were attractive and watchable. I did see the twist coming and the end was a tad predictable but otherwise it is an intelligent film for grown-ups

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TrickyDicky said...

Posted on Jan 25 2010 10:29 I've noticed other online Time Out readers comments have picked up on inconsistencies in TO's ratings (see review for "The Prophet"). On this page, and in Time Out (London) mag, this film has been given 3 stars. The film is promoting itself using a whole page ad stating Time Out has given this film 4 stars (I hope not - it's drivel, worthy of a single star, and I hoped it would end quickly). Come on TO, a transparent and consistent rating system please.
The other thing I'd like to say about reviews for this film, I think The Telegraph said it was "Unmissable" ... a minor correction is required here - perhaps the first two characters of that quote should be ignored.

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Goofy said...

Posted on Jan 24 2010 10:38 This is from the stable of films that either moves you or doesn't. If like me you loved "Lost in Translation", then this is a film for you. Maybe to really appreciate the film you need to feel Ryan Bingham's lifestyle. Many of us could never associate ourselves with his shallow charactor. But allow yourself to dive into Reitman's adaptation and maybe see parts of yourself in Clooney's charactor. If you're honest enough to recognise parts of yourself, you'll reap the rewards of the film. I'm not ashamed to say I saw a mirror image of myself, maybe this is why I was moved to such a degree. True the film needs us to think a little deeper than the average Hollywood Blockbuster but isn't that what good movies are all about. Ask yourself are you in your own way trying in life to get your 10,000,000 air miles of some kind!?

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