Chris Pattas Blog

I went along with my teenage son to see Jason Reitman's "Up In The Air" staring George Clooney.  His job is to travel around the country, fire people and make them feel better about it.  He is good at his job and seems to enjoy the loneliness of living out of a suitcase.  Two things happen to jolt him from this "good life".  His cowardly boss brings in a new younger woman to try a new online process which will eliminate all the travel and expense of the process.  Secondly, he meets a beautiful woman who claims she is "another version of you with a vagina".  The stage is set for a lovely comedy.  What I saw was a brilliant film about the things that make us human.

This is an uplifting film about the human condition.  The use of real people during the film - who express their emotions when told they are no longer needed - adds a flavour to the movie which makes it profound and meaningful.  There are a number of themes which I found I kept thinking about hours after I saw the movie.
Obviously, the importance of a working job is a key theme.  Treating people with dignity and empathy are key lessons the writers use well.  Another theme is the importance of communication and connection with other people.  There is a wonderful scene where Clooney talks about always having people around him but you get a sense of his loneliness when he meets his two sisters and seems a stranger in their lives.   There are some surprises in the movie, some very funny moments but also some scenes where you may need your handkerchief handy.
I have always believed the journey is more important than the destination in life.  There is a key scene near the end where Clooney's character achieves his ultimate goal but we are all left wondering whether the journey has been worth it.  This scene in the plane also has a continuity goof - can you pick it?
Here is the trailer from the movie.  Enjoy and ponder how rich your life is because of the people that surround you.  Highly recommended.  I rate this film an 8 out of 10.

Here is a good interview with director Jason Reitman: