The harder facts of life. Great movie.

Rating: 9/10 (18 March 2010)

This film from director Jason Reitman lives up to all its ballyhoo. Talk about taking a bad situation and making it sound good. Ryan Bingham(George Clooney)has been making more than a decent living as a high end hatchet man. When a company is ready to down size, Bingham is sent out to 'chop heads'. He is a brilliant motivational speaker and the silver tongued charmer easily convinces workers getting the pink slip that their life is not over...just at the doorstep of an other fulfilling opportunity.
Bingham is constantly in the air crisscrossing the country, staying in the best hotels, wearing the best clothes and not having any kind of normal life doesn't bother him in the least. Ryan strikes up a conversation with another traveler...a very nice looking Alex Goran(Vera Farmiga), who also racks up the air miles in her job. Their schedules allow them to meet every so often and there is the beginning of a special relationship.
Back at the home office, Bingham finds out his own employer(Jason Bateman) is wanting to change the policies of having his hatchet men traveling so much. A young twenty-something, fast rising and highly motivated Natalie Keener(Anna Kendrick)presents a novel idea of conducting the interviews via webcams. Bryan is given enough time to take Natalie on a few trips to see if she really has the 'chops' to fire someone.
A very interesting story with impressing locales and quick-witted dialog. You find yourself thinking about your job, your life and your future. Also in the cast: Melanie Lynskey, J.K. Simmons, Steve Eastin, Amy Morton and Sam Elliott.