Up in the Air

The same old story. Reitman makes one movie after another, but he just can’t achieve the quality of his shorts. And here it is even worse because the entire time I couldn’t shake off the feeling that this is an Americanized variation (and I don’t mean that pejoratively, just it’s been adapted to the American way of life, the mood in society etc.) on last year’s Japanese Oscar winner. Unfortunately I get the feeling from this that it isn’t nearly as sincere as intentional, criminally dry and almost too “serious". (10/01/2010)

I’d like to fly one day. These days it sounds almost ridiculous, but I’ve never ever flown anywhere. But that feeling of abandonment and freedom that flying represents is so tempting for me... and Ryan Bingham lives in the clouds. It’s hard not to envy him. He has a super job that he enjoys (I liked that too) and it allows him to fly here, there and everywhere. But the day came when he couldn’t and his life begins to change. I’ve seen thousands of sentimental movies about life, but why is Up In The Air so much better? Is it the dry lines, the pleasant actors or the atmosphere? Maybe all of that and maybe it’s because each one of us can find a part of themselves in this story. Credit carders, glues or diligent workers. Luckily, Jason Reitman doesn’t stay at everything being cool and fine, but he shows the other side of the coin too. People losing their jobs. That’s what it’s all about. You have to be able to balance everything and Reitman did a perfect job of it. Imagine for a second that you're carrying a backpack... (21/02/2010)

True, there were moments that seemed a bit forced, but overall, I found this movie quite enjoyable. It made me ponder a bit, yet at the same time, it's not a requirement as you can also just switch off your mind and relax. However, this film is far from mindless; if you pay attention, it has something to say. It avoids being cheaply pathetic, though there are moments that may lean in that direction, and it doesn't try to deceive the viewer with a contrived happy ending. Today, I genuinely enjoyed it, and the chemistry between George Clooney and Vera Farmiga significantly contributed to that. / Lesson learned: Sometimes it's genuinely challenging to keep both feet on the ground and not have your head in the clouds. (14/07/2022)

Jason Reitman showed that it's possible to film a romance that doesn't necessarily have the ending you expect, and he set the whole thing in the environment of airports. It’s about a person who spends most of their life in airplanes, airport terminals, and various hotel rooms. Yet he is happy because he has a job (even if it involves firing others) and perhaps love (even though he sees her very rarely). Or perhaps everything is just a little bit different after all. It’s beautiful, even though some people can be horrible. (06/04/2014)

Despite my initial expectations, I was pleasantly surprised by this film. An original premise, a well-developed script, a nice soundtrack. The young Anna Kendrick was a great balance with the mature Vera Farmiga, and George Clooney, whom I don't like much, was quite good. Probably not the movie of the year, but it's nice to watch and a nice diversion. (21/02/2010)