A Good Black Comedy

Rating: 7/10 (4 January 2010)

On the whole, Up in the Air is a good dark comedy about the financial crisis and the corporate world in general, in particular its production of a peculiar, airborne life style.
The film benefits from strong casting and, for the most part, good writing. George Clooney turns in another excellent performance, while Vera Farmiga's turn should cement her stardom, as she gives a sultry yet complex performance. Her magnetism and charisma are among the high points of the movie. All the major actors make their characters believable.
However, in its last third, Up in the Air suffers from an attempt to impose a moral on a dark comedy, blunting its satiric edge just as it should be plunging the knife in for the kill. More importantly, the personality shifts in certain characters are less than believable, and seem designed more to convey a "good" message than out of faith to the story.
Nevertheless, the film is well worth seeing, and stands out in a film season known for overly sentimental fare.