Up in the Air 2009

B+

This is a character study about a man who is very successful at laying people off for others and for racking up huge sums of frequent flyer miles and that’s about it. The premise of the movie is a new employee follows the main character, played as well as possible by George Clooney, and learns the trade at the same that we do. There are some interesting bits thrown in that keep the movie real, like using non-actors who really were laid off to play the people being laid off. A lot of things ring true, like Clooney saying he isn’t there to lay people off but to talk about their future. That’s classic corporate speak. But it goes off on some odd tangents like having him give seminars that I’m pretty sure nobody would ever want to go to.

But as I said, this is a character study. Clooney’s character doesn’t have to be 100% realistic as long as he has parts we can identify with. And he certainly does that. He is so amazingly easy-going and assured even though he has gaping holes in his life. I enjoyed getting this perspective on his life and just watching him work. And he does develop as a character even though there is not a neat and tidy ending. In some ways this reminds of me of Thank You for Smoking with the charming lead who is happily free of ethics, or at least thinks he is.

Written: 26 Mar 2010

Owned on: Blu-ray