Subverts the genre a little with a sharp edge to be enjoyable but not worthy of the mass praise it got at the time (MASSIVE SPOILERS)

Rating: Null/10 (11 February 2012)

I don't remember if it won anything or even what categories it was getting buzz for, but I do recall that when Up in The Air came out the film was highly considered awards-material and there were lots of reviews gushing about how timely it was in regards its subject matter. Not sure why it took me several years to watch it, but it did. What I found was a perfectly likable little indie comedy/drama that delivers a rather traditional message but does it in a way that slightly subverts the genre. The theme of redundancies is not really as important as many reviewers claimed, but it also sort of props up the traditional message.
The way these films usually work is that we follow our main character through a life of glossy awesomeness and then join them in a sort of self-discovery where they realise that this superficial awesome life is, well, superficial. They usual then trade some of this awesome for a bit less superficiality – this is a revelation they normally make while running to the arms of the woman they could have treated a bit better while being awesome and superficial. This is normally how it works and this is basically what the film does and it does it more or less with the pacing and style of the genre. For this it should not be overly praised but rather just enjoyed because it does it pretty well – although it does what you expect. What helps it is that it does have this rather clear eye in the presentation and it is also a little harsh in tone; in particular, while our character makes the revelation and we are shown the importance of family – he doesn't get to benefit from it and he carries on the way he was, albeit with his enjoyment of the superficial awesomeness notably reduced because of how aware he is of the superficiality of it all.
This is a nice touch and I felt it made the film better and complimented my impression of the rest of the story. In the telling we are given comedy and drama in a nicely wry mix and for all its genre stamps, I did really quite like the flow of it. Clooney is a massive part of this as he comes over so natural and human – so yes this is maybe something he does easily when it is early in the film, but he never comes over as smug and we still like him despite his job and thus we are with him when he equally convinces towards the end. He is well supported by Farmiga who is his plot device but is also as good as him. Kendrick is solid and it is nice to see Bateman, Simmons, McBride and Elliot in small roles.
The theme of redundancies was made much of when the film came out because it supposedly captured the heart of the period or was searingly relevant or other such rhetoric but to me it did no such thing. The film doesn't really feel for the people and it certainly doesn't comment on their plight or feelings; it does allow them space at the end of the film, but this is only to allow the film to emphasize the point about the importance of roots and family – but this is a point that does not only apply to bad times, so for me it wasn't like this film was really hitting a moment in time – just that its plot device was topical, there is a difference.
Up in the Air is a genre movie where our hero learns a life-lesson in regards the importance of family and reality in a life – it is a good example of this genre as it subverts it nicely and has a consistently good mix of comedy and drama. It isn't quite the amazing film that the critics at the time claimed, but it is still very good and Clooney is as good as he is well cast.