Up in the Air (2009/I)

Director:

Jason Reitman

Writers (WGA):

Jason Reitman (screenplay) and
Sheldon Turner (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 December 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The story of a man ready to make a connection.

Plot:

With a job that has him traveling around the country firing people, Ryan Bingham leads an empty life out of a suitcase, until his company does the unexpected: ground him.

Plot Keywords:

Airport | Economics | Corporation | Business | Airplane

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Golden Globes. Another 12 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

George Clooney	...	Ryan Bingham
Vera Farmiga	...	Alex Goran
Anna Kendrick	...	Natalie Keener
Jason Bateman	...	Craig Gregory
Amy Morton	...	Kara Bingham
Melanie Lynskey	...	Julie Bingham
J.K. Simmons	...	Bob
Sam Elliott	...	Maynard Finch
Danny McBride	...	Jim Miller
Zach Galifianakis	...	Steve
Chris Lowell	...	Kevin
Steve Eastin	...	Samuels
Marvin Young	...	Himself (as Young MC)
Lucas MacFadden	...	Conference DJ (as Cut Chemist)
Adrienne Lamping	...	Tammy

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

USA:109 min | Canada:108 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #45561) | New Zealand:M | Ireland:15A | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Japan:G | Canada:G (Quebec) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Affton High School, Affton, Missouri, USA

Company:

Cold Spring Pictures

Trivia:

With the exception of the famous actors, every person we see fired in the film is not an actor but a real life recently laid off person. The filmmakers put out ads in St. Louis and Detroit posing as a documentary crew looking to document the effect of the recession. When people showed up, they were instructed to treat the camera like the person who fired them and respond as they did or use the opportunity to say what they wished they had.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the tech show that Ryan, Natalie and Alex 'crash,' the banner over the stage lists the date of the show as February 2010, a date that has yet to occur. The same timing problem occurs with the 'XX' conference Ryan begins to speak at - the banner states the date as March 2010.

Quotes:

Ryan Bingham: How much does your life weigh? Imagine for a second that you're carrying a backpack. I want you to pack it with all the stuff that you have in your life... you start with the little things. The shelves, the drawers, the knickknacks, then you start adding larger stuff. Clothes, tabletop appliances, lamps, your TV...

A Decent Satire

We are drawn in by interesting, unique storyline and smart satirizations. About a man whose unique job is to fly around the country to inform people that they are fired. He meets a young ambitious woman that joins his company and who wants to change the system. Her ideas clash with his personal lifestyle choices.

What the movie really is about is lifestyle choices, and relationship choices, choosing independence and freedom versus commitment and well established interpersonal relationships. By taking a definitive stance the movie provides interesting commentary on those that for whatever reason (not necessarily for work) don't stay put.

A Monotone mood is established, that gave a bland aspect as though nothing substantial was happening. Part of the story took a dull meandering at times, however there were unconventional plot twists that made something that was seemingly Hollywood predictable not that way at all. And it was still interesting and entertaining to watch the contemporary witticisms.

The two main characters, although not the most true to life characters ever created, were brilliant satires of people we all know. We are all too familiar with the fiercely independent, non-committal, cockily at ease bachelor and we have also come across the, sharp, type A, ivy league know it all yet with an obvious naivety especially shown with her declaration of the specific laundry list of traits that her partner must have.

There were also some smart satirical illustrations of contemporary times in business, relationships, how people interact and the recession. For example the use of the smart phones in the new techno/relationship world is not simply put in as a momentum mechanism but is used as a symbol to satirize contemporary society.

It is not so much Clooney's acting that is a marvel as the casting, which was perfect. By being so spot on by choosing someone on the cusp of getting a little older yet with plenty of playful, youthful vigor we sense the conflict and the melancholy.