Up in the Air (2009)

Up in the Air
2009
Drama
George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga

Up in the Air is about a man who probably has the most depressing job ever, going around to different companies and firing people for a living so the employers don't have to do it themselves. A job that forces him to spend most of his life in an airplane flying around collecting frequent flier miles. With a life like that, and taking into account our current economic times, this movie could have very easily been a very depressing affair. However, I did not find Up in the Air to be all that depressing at all in the end. Even with dour subject matter I found it quite charming and it managed to have me in a good mood almost the whole time. I guess I I would have to credit the cast with that achievement. George Clooney is one of the top actors in the business right now but I don't think I personally give him enough credit. His skill is apparent here where he somehow manages to effortlessly become his character. I totally believed him the whole time and never just saw him as George Clooney playing a part. Anna Kendrick might have been my favorite part of the movie. Her character just came off as so real. She was cute, but with enough annoying personality quirks that made me not fall in love with her completely, just like people in real life. She was nominated for an Oscar for this role and I wish she would have won. I know I will like her performance for more than Monique's who beat her with her part in Precious (a movie I make a point of never seeing in my life). Vera Farmiga also received an Oscar nomination for her part. I liked her as well but not as much as the other two leads. However there is a twist towards the end about her character's life that I really enjoyed and made me appreciate her work more than I previously did. When Up in the Air first came out it seemed like it was critic's favorite to win Best Picture and since I ended up liking it more than The Hurt Locker, I think I would have preferred it to win (even though it was not my favorite movie of the year).

You should definately see Up in the Air. It is a well made movie about a guy who has an usual job, as well as a slice of life in our current economic times. There is a heart and charm about it that somehow carries it above its possibly gloomy storyline. The cast is fantastic and really steals with show without seemingly doing anyting out of the ordinary.

4 out of 5 Stars
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