Respond/React: Up in the Air
"Up in the Air" is a very enjoyable film. I'd say it's one of the year's best films but that would be damning it with faint praise since this year has been pretty bad. The acting is great, the pacing is good, and there are a number of laugh out loud lines of dialogue. I'd argue that it's Jason Reitman's best but then again I wasn't blown away by Juno. Thank You for Smoking was a good film, Juno was very good, and this was very very good. Unfortunately, like all of his films, I think the movie is somewhat forgettable. The title is fitting because the film just kind of hangs there. It feels like a slice-of-life film but the characters are just too far out there in their philosophies so they aren't relatable. I just felt one or two steps removed from the whole process, which is kind of a problem with a coming-of-age/discovering one's self type of movie.
I'd say the film is worth a trip to the theater and, at the very list, is a definite rental. The acting and one liners alone are worth it. Anna Kendrick could be up for a nomination although the best supporting player was a tie.
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My main issue with the film is that, in the end, the backpack theory was proven to be correct. The problem with how Clooney perceived it was that thinking that a person always had to tote the backpack around with them. The way to happiness was Vera Farmiga's approach - imagine your family is things you put in a backpack. Every so often you can take the backpack off, leave it behind, and do what you please. George didn't need to find someone who was like him, he needed the opposite - someone who liked to stay grounded and didn't always need him in her backpack.
When Vera's character called Clooney, I half expected her to break out a paraphrase of Clooney's line, "Every person like us who's ever found happiness has been in your position, and it's because they've been in your position that they were able to figure it out." Instead he ran off and flew to parts unknown.
In essence, instead of chasing his dream or trying to get back on the horse, Clooney's reaction to being emotionally fired was to jump off of a bridge
But there could never really be a satisfying ending to this film. If he just went on living his life, the movie would have had no point. A happy ending would have been too schmaltzy. Even the stuff with him suddenly realizing that he misses his family was already borderline. For instance, what happened to the Uncle? Why was the guy who was walking the girl down the aisle not available to help talk to Danny McBride? I really liked the scene in which the sister said she didn't need Clooney but to then suddenly, inexplicably have him be their only hope rang false.
All in all, this film is a very enjoyable ride to nowhere.
