Clooney is Brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (11 June 2012)

George Clooney has never been better. Here, he is Ryan Bingham, a corporate hatchet man who is sent around the country to deliver the unwelcome news of job termination. He also gives motivational speeches, filled with cliché filled bulls**t. He advises his audience to travel light, in both one's career and personal life. His personal obsession is to fly ten million miles for a special award.
Along the way, he meets Alex(Vera Farmiga), who is also trying to win the frequent flier contest. They share similar traits and begin a relationship, meeting in different cities for overnight trysts.
He is called back to corporate headquarters and Meets Natalie, a young woman just out of college with an idea to use video conferencing to fire people. Ryan is forced to take Natale with him to show her how the process works in person, and she is shocked at the human suffering they inflict in the real world on employees who are sometimes devastated at losing their jobs.
As they learn about each others lives, Natalie's boyfriend breaks up with her via text message. She berates Ryan about his fear of commitment in his relationship with Alex. He takes Alex to his sister's wedding and the groom has cold feet. He persuades the groom with a lecture about how we all need a copilot in our lives.
Ryan finally realizes that his life is shallow and makes the leap to try and commit to Alex, and so he pays her a surprise visit. The outcome is not what I expected. He does, however win the mileage contest with the airline.
Back at the office, Ryan hears that a woman he and Natalie fired has jumped off of a bridge. He has no memory of her. Natalie is overwhelmed, and quits. Up in the Air works at every level. Coooney, Kendrick, and Farmiga are perfect. A solid 9/10.