REVIEW: Up in the Air (2009)

Up in the Air

Rated: R

Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick.

Runtime: 109 minutes

My Ratine: Four stars.

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SPOILER ALERT: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

The opening shot of Ryan (George Clooney) shows him systematically packing a suitcase. He has his three neatly folded shirts, a tie case, socks, pants and a perfect spot for his shoes.

He zips the luggage, which he doesn't refer to as luggage because it is the exact limit for a carry-on bag, and heads out the door. He is a well-traveled businessman. He is on the road 322 days per year, living out of his carry-on bag.

He is a machine because he has to be. Ryan fires people for a living. He is a consultant – and the best there is.

Director Jason Reitman ends Up in the Air with a shot from Ryan's plane, flying over the clouds. Ryan narrates.

“The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places, crowning their neighborhood with lights. And one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip, passing over.”

Has he changed? This passage gives us little solace. We've endured all he did, from being broken down by a fellow traveling lover – who says “think of me as you, but with a vagina” – and a young, full-of-life new colleague, to his rock bottom when he assesses his life and makes a choice.

But what did he choose? Reitman's decision to leave it up to the audience is what redeems Up in the Air from its telegraphed plot and slow tempo.

It's a character drama that doesn't dive into deep-rooted, societal issues. It's a drama about one man and one life. Reitman could have written and directed a story about air travelers and the loneliness of the skies, but we wouldn't have cared so much or thought so long after the credits ended.

He did the same in Juno, a hopeful film out of a “garbage dump of a situation.” He didn't mask it, either. He could have made a film commenting on teen pregnancy. That wouldn't have had nearly the same effect, nor would we all know who Juno MacGuff is today.

We'll remember Ryan, just like we do Juno, but not so much for turning around a life hurtling toward emptiness. No, we'll remember Ryan for that last speech. What did he mean?

Ryan gives motivational speeches to traveling businesspeople on the side. He uses an “empty backpack” device. He says “fill it with everything… now try to move.” A full backpack leaves you tethered and makes the job unbearable. Set the bag on fire and walk away.

That's how Ryan, a single, never married man, has lived his entire professional life. His primary goal is to reach 10,000,000 frequent flier miles so he can have his name on the wing of a plane.

In an effort to cut on travel expenses, his firm hires Natalie (Anna Kendrick), a young, ivy-league educated, tech-savvy agent. She wants to implement web-cam firing. Ryan hates the idea and argues she doesn't know what it takes to actually let someone go. Their boss assigns her to travel with him to fire people.

We later find out she's only with this firm – based out of Omaha, Neb. – because she followed a boy. Her backpack is heavy, but she's immediately ready to pick apart Ryan's life choices.

On the road, Ryan meets Alex (Vera Farmiga in an impressive role). She matches his wit, charm and charisma perfectly. They begin an illicit, no-strings-attached affair that changes his life, or does it?

When Ryan's world is pulled apart by all the women he mistreated or ignored, we are left with an image of Ryan, standing in front of an ever-cascading board of arrivals and departures holding his precious carry-on bag.

Then, the clouds. Then, the conversation. Four stars.