Graphite takes a man to new heights.

Rating: 9/10 (28 June 2014)

What can I say about Up in the Air that hasn't already been said?
Had I done some research perhaps I could answer that question.
In lieu I'll provide my unbiased thoughts, unencumbered by popular opinion.
I think Up in the A is exceptional. The narrative is not too long, never boring and smart.
It's shot and edited well, combining subtle humor with sharp dialogue and a level of honesty bordering on brutal.
Every few months or so, I see a great movie starring George Clooney. And it's always a knockout performance. I refuse to check his filmography in hopes I never stop stumbling across fantastic flicks staring G.C.
Besides one irksome piece of acting, this is a solid film all around.
If you like movies and can stand to watch one that may not offer satisfaction across the board, I highly recommend Upin Thair.
The rest of this review contains spoilers, so get out while you still can!
One of the best parts about this Best Picture nominee is the chance it takes with the ending.
Is it depressing? Wildly.
Is our protagonist enviable? Probably not.
Is it realistic? Regrettably, yes.
In a sea of motion pictures that end with a sigh of relief, we need the occasional boat to get lost in a storm.
The credit card scene is spectacular.
How about Vera Farmiga, huh? What an outstanding performance as Georgie's wandering love interest.
And how about Anna Kendrick with some equally unexceptional acting? The moment she cries is the worst in the entire movie. Luckily a solid scene follows.
I also like how, ultimately, Kendrick's character does something outside of the narrative norm. Cloondog avoids his feelings for a justifiable reason. Kendrick, the catalyst, causes him to change, but this is (in the end) not a good thing.
Do they ever pay off the implication that Clooney's lying when Jason Bateman asks him about the woman who kills herself?
I don't love the scene where Clooney reassures Danny McBride, the groom with cold feet.
My final criticism is I think the process of firing people doesn't entail as much direct animosity toward the individual hired to do the job. Throughout the sequences in which the film illustrates a string of employees being let go, I just thought the "How do you sleep at night?" type of reaction is shown too many times.
All that being said: Man, I enjoy Up in the Air.