Ice Water For Blood

Rating: 9/10 (12 February 2010)

Ryan Bingham is a corporate ax man (that is to say,he has the thankless job of firing people for various bosses that lack the nerve to do it themselves). Ryan really enjoys his job, all because he is a heartless bastard with ice water for blood (as the above mentioned),as well as the high class perks that his job supplies him with (he spends most of his time in planes,flying from job to job--hence,the title). Ryan is also something of a "user" of women,with no regard for settling down for a lifetime (he also has little use for his own family). Ryan seems to have it all down,pat. He is having a fling with a woman met on a connecting flight. He is also training a young novice in the wily ways of firing people,cold ("how do you sleep at night?",asks one of his victims). Does a humbling experience,involving family members cause a (paradigm)shift in his realm of thinking? George Clooney takes the part he was obviously born to play,in this smart & well written drama, with some nice touches of comedy to lighten things up. Vera Farmiga is Alex Goran,the woman he is carrying on with. Anna Kendrick is Natalie Keener,a young,up & coming ax person,who is learning the ropes from Ryan (but obviously doesn't like Ryan much as a person,'tho does respect his position on firing some genuinely hard working people). Jason Reitman (director of such toothsome film fare such as 'Thank You For Smoking' & Juno',and son of director,Ivan Reitman,who also acts as one of the executive producers of this film)directs & co-writes the screenplay with Sheldon Turner,in a film with a touch of savvy. Other cast members include Jason Bateman (who's obviously redeemed himself from appearing in such fare as 'Teen Wolf 2')plays Ryan's boss,Craig Gregory,and if you don't blink,you'll spot Sam Elliot (several notches up from the sorry mess he last appeared in ['Did You Hear About The Morgans?]),as an airline pilot,patterned after Capt."Sully" Sullenberger,who saved the passengers & crew by crash landing that flight in the Hudson River last year. This is smart,savvy film making that makes for a well spent Saturday night at the movies. Rated 'R' by the MPAA for some outbursts of strong language,brief nudity & adult content