Up In The Air

If you take the time to sit back and watch a film that is high on dialogue and low on effects every now and then you can find a masterpiece. (Possible spoilers)

Well, Up In The Air is one such film. Make no mistake, this is one outstanding example of movie making and how a story can move you without having to resort to CGI or other technology.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is the man companies hire 'when they don't have the balls' to fire their employees. He lives his life out of a suitcase and revels in the lifestyle of no commitment and high privilege.

When the company he works for decides to embrace new technology to fire people by video hookup Bingham, the expert and not getting personal, goes into bat for the people who need the personal touch when being told they are out of a job.

The ripples are caused by Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), a naive young woman whose ideals clash with Bingham's comfortable life. When Bingham goes on a crusade to prove that people shouldn't be fired by video link, Keener's eyes are opened to the real world and how you can't simply treat people like cattle.

Complicating matters is Alex (Vera Farmiga), a beautiful executive who seems to be the female version of Bingham. And they hook up whenever they can.

The irony of these characters is magnificent. Bingham, who gives what amount to be anti-motivational speeches about how we all carry too much stuff in our backpacks, thrives on the personal touch his job allow yet is happy living in his own little world. Natalie's irony is brilliant, here's a woman who champions the human touch, the need to have people around you, yet she is masterminding the very non-personal method of doing her job. And Alex, the woman who maybe without knowing it drags Bingham into considering a normal life and not one devoted to frequent flyer miles, before she cruelly crushes him.

There are two endings to this film and I think Jason Reitman has done this so well. We're given our Hollywood ending in the shape of Natalie's character but Ryan Bingham's fate is not according to the way we'd all like to see things end. (Don't worry he doesn't die).

We're all afraid of change in some way and we're all naive when it comes down to it. Some people just hide it better. Clooney proves this through his character, a man who on the surface has the world worked out but in reality is just as confused as everyone else.

I could go on and on. This is one of the best films I have seen in a long time, it's funny at times and it is a story that will affect you long after you've seen it - if you really think about it. Clooney is excellent, best performance from him since Good Night And Good Luck and I thought Kendrick was a revelation here.

She's known to most as Jessica in the Twilight series and her fellow castmates should take plenty of note of her performance here. She can act and if she takes more roles like this in the future we'll be talking about her long after the Robert Pattinsons and Kristen Stewarts are reduced to typecasting.

A very solid 9 out of 10 and early contender for film of the year.