A very good movie and a parallel universe to me

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2010)

After getting enough encouragement from facebook friends to go see this movie, I finally made it and was pleased to have done so.
This movie is close to my heart and life. I fly often. Not 350,000 miles as Ryan (played so convincingly by George Clooney), but about 200,000 miles per year. In 2009 I flew 159 times. I was on the road for almost 300 days. I do consider airports my places, have learned how to go through security (and yes I do follow people that have very little hand luggage), have learned how to get miles from everything (although I would never sit down and exchange loyalty cards with anyone because, what's the point) and how to live, an at times, pretty lonely existence.
The fact the Ryan meets a lovely woman with similar life at an airport is interesting, although many women I meet flying certainly do not have kids and if they did, would not fly as much as she does. It is a life choice.
George plays the role very well, although you would think that after getting #7, he would give up his airline seat, instead visiting airports where he can go see his "Ryan" labeled airplane. The film of course finishes in a way that there will be Up In the Air 2 coming soon in a theater near you. Maybe this is the plan.
I don't give this film a 10 because: Would a company really sent a 25 year old to fire people? Would people that have worked at a company all their lives really accept to lose their jobs by such a young person? And is it morally acceptable to use video conferencing to do such a life changing event? Or we just accept this movie as, well a movie.
And finally is there a need for so much endorsements in this movie? Do we need to push Hilton, American Airlines, Hertz and every other company mentioned. Or future movies will become infomercials. Or maybe this movie could not be made without names, any names.
Yes, this is a good movie and recommended to anyone who lives Up in the Air. Just like me.