UP IN THE AIR
US, 2009, 109 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, J.K. Simmons, Sam Elliott, Danny Mc Bride, Zach Galifianakis.
Directed by Jason Reitman.
Up in the Air can mean that something is uncertain – and the central character of this light drama with serious overtones finds that his life and choices are up in the air. But, he is also up in the air, literally, as he strives to clock up ten million air miles (on American Airlines which get lots of publicity throughout). He is continually on the move around the US from his home and his company base in Omaha, Nebraska, feeling at home in airports and familiar with their check-in rituals, security rituals and boarding rituals (although he does a double take as the flight attendant seems to ask him, 'Cancer?' but she is offering him a soft drink, 'Can, sir?)'.
The reason he is up in the air is that his job is one that has been on the rise in recent years. His company sends him out to do a dirty job for companies, firing their employees. Through the film there are collages of disbelieving Americans, the whole range of gender, ethnic background, social status, facing being fired – and a whole range of responses from resignation to despair and threatening suicide. The company tries a soft sell (but relentless) manner which many see through. They are also offered a folder with severance terms, presented as if this was the greatest opportunity for a new life.
This expert in dismissal is Ryan Bingham (George Clooney in an Oscar-nominated performance). He picks up women as he travels. Commitment is not one of his characteristics. The film shows one relationship with a travelling businesswoman (Vera Farmiga, Oscar-nominated) which has its moments and an unexpected comeuppance. He also has a most resolute, theory-bound trainee (Anna Kendrick, Oscar-nominated) who tries to be relentless though her inexperience in dealing with people is shown up.
In the meantime, he visits his sister in Wisconsin for her daughter's wedding and has to pep the groom who is getting cold feet.
It is a perfectly ordinary drama with characters well-drawn and something to reflect on both about human nature and the current economic situation. But the reasons for its Oscar nominations, which also include Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay, elude this reviewer.
1.Acclaim and awards? Entertaining? Social comment? Relevant for the economic conditions of the times?
2.The title, literally in the plane? Figuratively in confusion?
3.The airport rituals, the rituals in planes? Sense of realism? Ryan Bingham and his being at home in airports and planes?
4.Omaha, the apartment? The company office? The hotels around the United States, the different cities, the sameness, the conference halls? Wisconsin, homes? Chicago? Realism? The musical score?
5.Ryan Bingham’s voice-over, his comment about his life, his age, being alone, assessing his life, a hollow man?
6.His profession, his going around the country, firing people? The companies unable to do it by themselves? Craig Gregory as the boss, his company, its ethos? The importance of the collage of faces of the unemployed, ordinary people, their facial reactions, verbal reactions, emotional, psychological?
7.Ryan and the conferences, his methods, the people applauding him? The repetition of these conferences? The later reassessment of his work?
8.Alex, the encounter in the hotel, the repartee, the comparisons of loyalty cards, flight miles, the issue of who was seducing whom? The relationship, the development over the months? Contacts, meetings? Ryan inviting Alex to go to Wisconsin, her acceptance? At the wedding, possibilities for him – and his visit to Chicago, seeing Alex’s son, her being married, disillusionment? Her cynical comments farewelling him? Going home to Omaha?
9.The company policies, the development of technology, Natalie and her theories and studies, the suggestion that firing be done by video conference to save money? To save travel?
10.Natalie and her character, uptight and studious, ambitious? Following her boyfriend to Omaha? In Miami and the message that he was breaking off the relationship? Working with Ryan, her suspicions of him? His explaining to her the airport rituals? Their discussions, her being sure in herself, her experience of firing people, faltering? The repetition of the phrases? Ryan, trying to help her, feeling sorry for her?
11.The break-up, the party in Miami, Alex and Ryan trying to help Natalie?
12.The experience of dealing with real people, the effect of unemployment, their back-stories, the woman threatening suicide – and killing herself?
13.Going to the wedding, Ryan and his relationship with his sister? Her family, his niece, the story of the family and growing up? The niece, her being in love with her husband, the party, the rehearsal? The groom getting cold feet, Ryan sent in to persuade him to marry, his spiel? Alex and her presence at the wedding?
14.The return to Omaha, the company eliminating video conferencing, allowing Ryan to travel? His achievement in the ten million miles? His job being saved – his future? With question marks?
