How much does a person's life weigh?
The question ponders over my head as I write this review, still in awe of what I just saw. Ever since its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, "Up in the Air" has been garnering rave reviews and serious Oscar buzz, and rightfully so. Once in a blue moon, I am fortunate to see a movie like "Up in the Air" because it entertained, delighted, depressed, and challenged me all in one viewing.
Settling down in one place, raising a family in the suburbs, and keeping a stable job might be everyone's dream, but for Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), it sounds like a nightmare. Bingham works for a company that lends him out to corporations too afraid to fire their own employees. This job requires him to travel around the United States nearly every day of the year, making it impossible for him to have any kind of human connection.
While all this is perfectly fine for Ryan, his company forces him to train an ambitious Cornell graduate, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick). Along the way, he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga), a woman who, exactly like Bingham, spends most of her life away from home without a care in the world.
From the previews, one would think this is just a fluffy and simple-minded premise, but this is a much more complex movie the ads may be leading people to believe. I know I expected one thing and received something else entirely, which was actually better because I was genuinely surprised. Adapted from the book of the same name, writer and director Jason Reitman has started on the script long ago, but the filming of "Thank You For Smoking" and "Juno" took up his time, and since then, the world has become a different place.
Reitman, along with co-writer Sheldon Turner, has made the interesting choice of tying the story with the current economic recession the nation is in. Interweaved within the movie are real interviews with people who have actually been fired, making it tragic to watch. If I may say so myself, including these interviews was a genius idea. It doesn't shy away from what is happening all around us because millions lose their jobs every day. This is a modern movie taking place in today's world, which is not a very pretty one.
The script and direction is magnificent, and virtually flawless. It's a lot more heartfelt and mature than his previous works. This could've easily been a messy and irritating experience, but everything is executed with grace and precision. "Up in the Air" is a small movie with big ideas. It has a lot to say about not only the recession, but people in general. It's a comedy, drama, satire on traveling, observation of society, and above all, a character study. In order to like the movie, the viewer must be invested with the people onscreen.
Performances by the three main actors are all top-notch, and I would even go as far as to say this is their best work yet. Bingham could have easily been a detestable character if played by anyone else, but Clooney brings a wit and charm that makes him easily accessible. Farmiga plays Ryan's love interest, Alex, with confidence and delivers her dialogue with a sassy charisma. However, it is the standout performance by Kendrick that really deserves Oscar recognition. While most will know her as Jessica Stanley from the "Twilight" franchise, some may remember her from a little movie called "Rocket Science." There, she plays the arrogant, whip-smart teenager everyone hates, and here she portrays a naive young girl who is confused at why her expectations with life aren't being met. Kendrick not only plays the role, but she owns it by skillfully bringing out the character's hidden emotions as the plot progresses.
Alas, the main reason I enjoyed "Up in the Air" very much is more from a personal standpoint. What scared me is I saw a bit of myself in Ryan Bingham. This reason alone, I found the experience ten times more emotionally exhausting than the average viewer. By the end credits, I sat in my chair with my heart broken and contemplated on not only what I just saw, but my own life as well. I know everybody won't see what I found the film to interpret to, but this can be analyzed on so many different levels and everyone who gives it a chance will come out with something different.
"Up in the Air" is a powerful and philosophical work of art that still lingers through my head long after the viewing.
MY GRADE: A
Log in to comment