An Excellent movie with some severe reality

Rating: 10/10 (6 May 2012)

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a HR Executive. His work is to fire employees of other companies around the States who don't have the courage to fire their own employees. He fires employees in a motivating way so that they can cope with life after losing their jobs. Director Jason Reitman expertly portrays how difficult it is to survive in the USA. People like us who live in a third world country have a spurious belief that USA is a supernal land. But after watching this movie this belief will be altered. The idea of the US being supernal may only hold until you are fired randomly by your employer without any apparent cause. If they are determined to fire you, they'll do so, throttling you and giving you no chance at all. And George Clooney makes no mistake here representing a 'cruel employer' character, Ryan Bingham, with all his expertise, charisma and, of course, most importantly, with his foxy smile.
This movie also gives us a sad but true realization of recluse life. We were taught in high school, "Man can't live alone, and he needs company." Ryan Bingham believes in single-hood and detests commitment, most of all, marriage. In love with his mobile employee-firing job, he jets about meeting girls at different cities or airports, forging only temporary relationship. He is also detached from his family. At last, he understands the value of relationship. George Clooney is masterful in representing this playboy-like loner Ryan Bingham.
Natalie Keener(Anna Kendrick) is a talent novice employee at Ryan Bingham's company who proposes a new firing technique by which employees will be fired through the Internet so that huge costs in traveling will be saved. As her proposal conflicts with Ryan Bingham's hobby, Ryan tries to prove that the new firing technique is not pragmatic enough. So Ryan's boss sends Natalie with him to get practical experience. For the entire movie, Kendrick displays amazing acting skills and is also pretty hot(mostly in the later part of the movie). The crying scene she was in at the airport was the best scene of the movie and reminds me of my 8-year-old niece every time I watch it. She believes in love too much and in love with someone. She tries to convince Ryan about love & marriage throughout their journey together. She had better job offers but took this firing job just to be with her lover who dumps her later via text message. Kendrick was superb here representing today's typical younger generation. They have much to learn from her character.
Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) is the female version of Ryan who works in an airlines company. She meets Ryan in an airport and as they have many things in common, they quickly develop a sexual relationship. Later Ryan falls for her and finds out that she has a family. I don't think it is common of a married airline female worker to have affairs like Alex did. This negative portrayal will put husbands in doubt about letting their wife work in airline companies. Whatever Vera did there, she did it spontaneously.
Zach Galifianakis (as Steve) & J.K. Simmons (as Bob) are fantastic in their brief but witty roles as is Jason Bateman (as Craig Gregory, Ryan's boss). I was amazed to know that the Fired Employees who acted in this movie were real life fired employees, fired just a few months before the movie was filmed.
I gave this movie 10 out of 10. Highly recommended to all movie lovers.