The story of life up in the air.

Rating: 10/10 (23 December 2009)

Jason Reitman's third feature is the most personal-feeling of the three and perhaps the best. After exploring the life of a tobacco lobbyist and a quirky pregnant 16 year-old, Reitman turns to a more global issue and one every human can relate to: employment. At first attempting to make a film on the booming economy earlier this decade, the tone changed completely and now this is a downward, somewhat depressed and bitter look at the situation we face as Americans today; more relevant now than ever before.
George Clooney gives the performance of his career, even better than his offers from Michael Clayton and Syriana. He portrays Ryan Bingham, whose job is to tell others that their working days are over. He travels for a good 2/3 out of the year and is never more happy than when he is on a plane, going through safety inspections or walking through the airport. He knows all the rules and ways to sidestep and save time, travels lighter than most ever will and has all of life in perfect order. His life is turned upside down when his no-nonsense boss (Jason Bateman) announces that a young, perky up and coming employee has created an idea to do their job over the Internet and with computers. Played by Anna Kendrick with fierce tenacity and focused determination, she is taken on the road with Ryan to be shown the ropes of how this job is done; and there are definite rules on these things.
What is so interesting about this movie is the way in which co-writer/director Reitman so easily and fluidly weaves together the alleged comedy and the unmistakable sadness and bitterness. There are scenes in which we chuckle or maybe laugh out loud at a one-liner, but then there are heart-wrenching scenes of people getting laid off and no one cannot feel sorry for each and every single person. It isn't important to know what they did or who they are; simply that they had a job and now they are gently being shoved out the door.
To counter these scenes we get the more personal story of Ryan's life, which basically consists of his suitcase, its belongings and traveling until he comes across a woman who shares his interests and his lifestyle; Alex played with incredible charm and class by the lovely Vera Farmiga. Together, they laugh, hang out and basically try to hang onto one another amidst the turmoil all around them. Ryan's relationship with his young protégé, Natalie, is also intriguing because he at first despises her idea since it undercuts his lifestyle, but soon he warms up to her and sees beneath the rough exterior someone who is still very much afraid that her life is over before it began.
There are also scenes with Ryan's two sisters; the only family he has and seems even cold to them. However, with a little push from Alex and Natalie, he starts to realize that perhaps he has missed something important this whole time and needs to get involved now more than ever.
Beneath the cynicism of America's current economic status, there appears a glimmer of hope but it is not pushed to the forefront like so many other movies. Rather, Reitman lets sit there and lets us see the whole picture. The acting brings everything into focus with Clooney showing a reserved, relaxed man with all the answers but also a side of vulnerability he never knew he had about his job and the way things work. Farmiga is eager and able to go toe-to-toe with him and Kendrick needs to get away from those awful Twilight films because this role shows she has real potential to be a real actress. And Reitman's screenplay covers a lot of ground and material, but never too much and sheds just enough light on everything so we catch it all but aren't overwhelmed.
If nothing else, this is certainly one of the best films of 2009. It further shows Reitman's ability to find humor in the saddest and strangest ways and does it with such class and distinction. Perhaps what this is saying is what the people who were fired had in common was that there was someone in their life with them to take the impact. I had a somewhat drab feeling after leaving the theater but I realize that it wasn't because the movie was sad so much that it was right.