MOVIE - Up in the Air

Completely enjoyable, gives you a bit to think about.
Released limited 12-4-09
Released wide 12-25-09
R (1:49)
12/25/09 at Bangor with Fran and Christine
RT: 90% cag: 90%
Fandango: 83/100
Director: James Reitman
George Clooney

This movie has gotten lots of hype for awards this year...it's already been nominated for a number of Golden Globes. It was good...the perfect role for George Clooney. Cool, debonair, a slight dimpled-smile ever-present on his face. Ahhhhh, yes. Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, carefree with no family or romantic ties, at least until this movie begins. He works for a company that goes into firmss and fires the employees during downsizing. He's good at his job. He loves to fly and travel and knows every in and out to get the best of car rentals, room upgrades, and first class and priority flying. Until a young, just-out-of-school psychology major comes up with a way to cut costs, changing Ryan's life and job forevermore. And then there's the family wedding in northern Wisconsin that he has to atten - wheterh he wants to or not. No ties. No baggage. He gives motivational talks about emptying out your personal "back pack."

So it's easy to figure out what's going to happen. He falls for someone. He gets a little reconnected with his family and roots. He thinks about what his life really holds for him. The movie doesn't have the standard "pat" happy ending, but the ending works in the way it NEEDS to work. It feels okay. It was a good movie. I thought about it all night long, and that doesn't happen very much.

Know for the $64,000 question. Is it worth all the awards it's going to be up for this year? I'm going to have to see a few more of its competition to figure that out, I guess.....