Up in the Air

Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching a number of frequent flyer miles, he has a figure in his head and just after he’s met the frequent-traveller woman of his dreams

This film was one of three George Clooney pictures in the program for The Times 53^rd Bfi Film Festival 2009. For a more detailed page about our experience at the festival please click here.

I found this movie intriguing. It was hyped but at the same time over shadowed by the other films at the festival. It focuses on Cloony and it is spell binding. That’s what makes this so great, and yes I do mean great. When you see Robin Williams in a film where he is controlled by a director and told how to funny and react it is good, but when the director allows him to go off and do his own thing it is electrifying. I believe that this is the same with Clooney, he has a style, it can be harnessed and when it is his performance is shy.

During the first minute you are totally focused on this driven businessman whose idea of success in being able to accomplish something that only a very elite number of people have done so before him; in fact, more people have walked on the moon then got as many air miles as his character. But that isnt important, you like this bringer dread, his role in life is to make people redundant, can people. He has adapted over the thousands of dismissals a sales patter, he could use the Ari Gold style ‘Get the fuck out’ but that is not productive, he has to get people in a place where the are down, but he can spin some positives on where they can go next.

Then you are introduced to his lifestyle, he travels more then most gypsies, has no one too close but is almost just liked by everyone. Some say that like is just watered down love but not so in this film. Every person he touches likes him in some way, but then out of the blue he maybe falls in love, just maybe, and needs to step back and review his entire life.

As for the others in the film every one of them is a pro. If this is not nominated for best picture at the big awards then they should all be thrown out as I am struggling to think of anything that is better then this.