"Make no mistake. Your relationships are the heaviest components in your life. All those negotiations, and arguments and secrets and compromises. The slower we move, the faster we die. Make no mistake: Moving is living."
In Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air,” Clooney’s Ryan Bingham preaches the line above at one of his motivational talks. He is a shark among men, believing that movement and lightening one’s backpack is essential to survival. Not to knock either film, but with ten-foot tall blue aliens (Avatar) and kids’ fare (The Princess and the Frog) eating up the box office, it’s wonderful to have a smart, witty and emotionally revealing film out during the holidays. My wife and I had the pleasure of seeing “Up in the Air,” and I’m glad we did. I’ll skirt away from the in-depth plot points, but here’s the gist: Ryan Bingham flies around the country more than 320 days out of the year, going in to companies and being the heavy. His job is to let employees go. He’s a terminator. Young upstart, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick who plays Angela in the Twilight films) has worked it all out. She has devised a plan to use video/headsets to virtually fire employees all around the country from the Omaha home office saving the company that both she and Ryan work for millions of dollars. The problem: Just as Ryan has crossed paths with a woman just like himself, he’s being grounded.
What plays out on screen is heartfelt and filled with depth of character and emotion. Clooney’s acting chops are a pleasure to behold. His suave attitude as he clashes with Kendrick’s young and inexperienced Natalie is Oscar worthy. Time and time again, characters wonder aloud: What is the point? What is the point of marriage, of our connections, friendships and our relationships? These questions are asked and then juxtaposed against those who are being fired. Who’s had 13 years of service at a company and is fired? Or saved the company millions? Fired. Clooney is detached from the emotional world as he fires dozens of people and sees their deepest selves on display while he glides from kiosk to kiosk with his gold cards and membership perks to remain adrift emotionally.
The heaviest components in our lives are our relationships. Yet the answers we are given in this film are not as simple and trite as you might expect from Hollywood. Sometimes there are no simple answers. Love, trust and commitment are hard work and each of us has a choice. To fly among the clouds, never truly connecting and feeling or--jumping in, getting wet and truly living. What unfolds on screen is light enough to be enjoyable during this holiday season yet filled with enough substance that you’ll be glad you took in this film. For in the end, are we social animals or are we sharks, preying up the world never stopping for lack of movement means death? Do yourself a favor and go see this film. Clooney’s role alone is worth the price of admission. And, if you’re open, you might just learn a little bit about yourself. Who are you: Emotionally detached from people or have you truly embraced the people in your life? Hopefully, you’ll find where you are on the loner/joiner spectrum and question why you’re there.
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