Up in the Air

Up in the Air is, without a doubt, Jason Reitman's best film to date. And it is one of the best films of the year.

Reitman and Sheldon Turner adapted Walter Kirn's book. The protagonist is Ryan Bingham (George Clooney). Bingham is a man who lives out of suitcases. His firm hires out people like himself to fire people. Yes, that is right. Many of the head honchos of big corporations are too chicken shit to fire people so they hire someone else to do it.

Bingham needs no ties. But one day he meets another fast talker in the person of Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga). She is also on the go and the two get along famously. They meet when they can. Things are also changing at work. Bingham's boss Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman) has hired a bright young woman named Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who propose that the firm can save a lot of money using video conferencing to fire people instead of sending the around the country to do it. Of course, the boss loves this idea. But Bingham proposed taking the young Natalie around the country to show her the ropes.

And that is all I will say about the plot. This film is very relevant for these times. There is a lot of humor in the film but there is also a lot of sadness. I have heard that many of those fired in the film are actually people who have been fired in real life (with the exception of J.K. Simmons of course). Clooney is terrific in the role. Farmiga is as good as always. And Kendrick is a talent to watch.

I don't want to say more about Up in the Air except that you should go and see it!