Up in the Air

Jason Reitman’s third feature, Up in the Air follows a slick business executive (George Clooney’s Ryan Bingham) as he comes to re-evaluate his comfortable yet superficial existence in light of several personal developments (including the marriage of his younger sister). It’s a familiar premise that’s generally employed to better-than-average effect by Reitman, as the writer/director instantly lures the viewer into the proceedings by emphasizing the central character’s rather unique career and his unabashedly freewheeling lifestyle. Clooney’s effortlessly charismatic, thoroughly impressive performance perpetuates the affable atmosphere, yet it’s not until J.K. Simmons delivers another in a long line of scene-stealing cameos that Up in the Air first starts to become something more than just an agreeable comedy. The increasingly heartfelt nature of Reitman’s screenplay, which has been adapted from Walter Kirn’s novel, ensures that the film becomes more and more compelling as it progresses, although it’s just as clear that the conventional trajectory of the central character’s arc ultimately dulls the impact of the unabashedly dramatic third act. It’s subsequently clear that Up in the Air is at its best in its quieter, more character-based moments, as Reitman has peppered the proceedings with a host of memorable periphery figures – with Anna Kendrick’s stirring work as Ryan’s reluctant protégé standing as an obvious highlight (which, given the presence of familiar faces such as Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, and Danny McBride within the supporting cast, is certainly no small feat). The end result is the most mature and fully-realized endeavor of Reitman’s short career, with the unexpectedly downbeat conclusion ensuring that the film ultimately closes on a more resonant note than one might’ve anticipated.

*** out of ****