Up In The Air

Anna Kendrick and George Clooney in ‘Up In The Air’

Jason Reitman’s ‘Up In the Air’, adapted from the novel by Walter Kim, is a very contemporary, thought provoking film that has people thinking and talking about it long after the lights come up

George Clooney plays the main character, Ryan Bingham, whose job it is to fly around America firing people who he doesn’t know, for corporations that do not have the moral fortitude to do it personally. For Bingham, the job is as appealing as being an undertaker, however it presents him with a great lifestyle. This lifestyle comes under threat when Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), a new graduate that Bingham’s company has taken on, proposes that the company take a new approach and fire the employees via the internet.

Yes, ‘Up In The Air’ is about how dark and insipid capitalism has become. The film is full of footage showing employees in different forms of distress as they callously receive the news. The new method of firing by the internet is tried out, with even frostier results.There’s even a scene showing the company manager Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman) getting excited as his company has to expand due to the financial meltdown taking greater hold.

‘Up in the Air’ is also about how people’s private lives are becoming frostier with the fast pace of modern life. Bingham has lost the notion of having a close relationship with his nomadic lifestyle. During the course of the film he becomes close to Alex Goran, a beautiful, sophisticated woman, and he starts to get the feeling he might want more however Alex has her own issues. In another scene Natalie Keener finds out that her partner has broken up with her when she receives a text message.

Reitman’s fim is well made with great performances by a fine ensemble cast. ‘Up In The Air’ poses a big question. In our hearts, even though we live such sophisticated, technologically advanced lives, are we better off?!