Directed by: Jason Reitman
Written by: Sheldon Turner & Jason Reitman
Starring: George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman
Running time: 109 minutes
Premise: The story is centered on a corporate "downsizer" Ryan Bingham and his travels. The film follows his isolated life and philosophies and the people he meets along the way.
Written by: Sheldon Turner & Jason Reitman
Starring: George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman
Running time: 109 minutes
Premise: The story is centered on a corporate "downsizer" Ryan Bingham and his travels. The film follows his isolated life and philosophies and the people he meets along the way.
Why You Should See It
With great performances along with admirable direction from Jason Reitman, Up in the Air entertains from start to finish. For those who like quick and witty humor, this is a must see. The way this film manages to mix the delicate subject matter with its humorous aspects is impressive. Another thing I love about this movie is that it isn't heavy and doesn't weigh on you. While developing the characters in both serious and comedic moments, the film retains its light-heartedness and more importantly, its identity.
With great performances along with admirable direction from Jason Reitman, Up in the Air entertains from start to finish. For those who like quick and witty humor, this is a must see. The way this film manages to mix the delicate subject matter with its humorous aspects is impressive. Another thing I love about this movie is that it isn't heavy and doesn't weigh on you. While developing the characters in both serious and comedic moments, the film retains its light-heartedness and more importantly, its identity.
Synopsis
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) works for the Career Transitions Corporation (CTC). He makes his living traveling to workplaces in the United States and informing workers of their dismissals in place of their employers, who fear doing it themselves. Part-time, Ryan also delivers motivational speeches, using the metaphor "What's In Your Backpack?" to extol the virtues of a life free of burdens like relationships with people as well as things, arguing that the best way to live is to travel light, with little to hold one down.
Ryan relishes his perpetual travels, and his personal ambition is to earn ten million frequent flyer miles. While traveling, he meets another frequent flyer, Alex (Vera Farmiga). They begin a casual relationship, meeting and sleeping together whenever they can arrange to cross paths.
Ryan is unexpectedly called to CTC's offices in Omaha, Nebraska. An ambitious, freshly graduated new hire, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), is promoting a plan to cut costs by conducting layoffs via videoconferencing. Ryan argues that Natalie knows nothing of the actual process, live or not, and she has never fired anyone and does not know how to handle upset people. He plays the role of a fired employee to illustrate her inexperience. His boss (Jason Bateman) assigns Natalie to travel on his next round of terminations, much to his annoyance. Throughout the rounds, Natalie is visibly disturbed when firing people face to face.
As they travel and become better acquainted, Natalie questions Ryan's philosophy, but he is satisfied with his lifestyle. During the trip, Natalie is shattered when her boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her by text message. Ryan and Alex try to comfort her. Natalie later lectures Ryan about his refusal to consider a commitment to Alex in spite of their obvious compatibility, and she becomes infuriated; she apologizes later, but they are soon ordered back to Omaha to implement Natalie's program. There are problems during a test run; one laid-off man breaks down in tears before the camera, and she is unable to comfort him.
Instead of returning immediately to Omaha, Ryan convinces Alex to accompany him to his younger sister Julie's (Melanie Lynskey) wedding near Waupaca, Wisconsin. Julie had him (and others) take photos of a cutout picture of her and future husband Jim (Danny McBride) in various places because they cannot afford a honeymoon trip. When Jim gets cold feet, Ryan's older sister talks Ryan into using his motivational skills to persuade Jim to go through with the wedding. Although this runs counter to Ryan's philosophy of non-commitment, he persuades Jim that "everyone needs a co-pilot" and the important moments in life are rarely unshared. The wedding takes place without further problems.
Ryan begins having second thoughts about his own life. As he starts to deliver his "What's In Your Backpack?" speech at a convention in Las Vegas, he realizes he no longer believes it and walks off stage. On impulse, he flies to Alex's home in Chicago, Illinois. When she opens the door, he is stunned to discover that she is married, with children; Ryan leaves without a word. She later tells him on the phone that her family is her real life and he is simply an escape. When she asks him what he wants from their relationship, he is unable to answer. Happy with the arrangement 'as is', she tells him he can still call her if he wants to.
On the flight home, the crew announces that Ryan has just met the ten-million-mile mark. The airline's chief pilot (Sam Elliott) comes out of the cockpit to meet Ryan and give him a special fulfillment card. He notes that Ryan is the youngest person to reach the milestone, only the seventh to do so (as the card is so numbered); Ryan, who had been preparing for this moment for a long time, shows little emotion. When the pilot asks where he's from, Ryan says, "Here."
Back in his office, Ryan calls the airline to transfer five hundred thousand miles each to the newlyweds, enough for them to fly around the world for their honeymoon. His boss then tells Ryan that a woman he and Natalie fired killed herself by jumping from a bridge, as she said she would, and that when Natalie found out, she quit via text message. Ryan claims to have no memory of the employee making the threat. The company puts the remote-layoff program on hold due to government concerns, and Ryan is again "back in the air".
Natalie applies for a job in San Francisco, California. The interviewer is puzzled about why she chose to work for CTC, given her sterling qualifications; she states that she followed a boy. Based on a glowing recommendation from Ryan, he hires her. The film concludes with Ryan in the airport, standing before a vast destination board, looking up, and letting go of his luggage.
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) works for the Career Transitions Corporation (CTC). He makes his living traveling to workplaces in the United States and informing workers of their dismissals in place of their employers, who fear doing it themselves. Part-time, Ryan also delivers motivational speeches, using the metaphor "What's In Your Backpack?" to extol the virtues of a life free of burdens like relationships with people as well as things, arguing that the best way to live is to travel light, with little to hold one down.
Ryan relishes his perpetual travels, and his personal ambition is to earn ten million frequent flyer miles. While traveling, he meets another frequent flyer, Alex (Vera Farmiga). They begin a casual relationship, meeting and sleeping together whenever they can arrange to cross paths.
Ryan is unexpectedly called to CTC's offices in Omaha, Nebraska. An ambitious, freshly graduated new hire, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), is promoting a plan to cut costs by conducting layoffs via videoconferencing. Ryan argues that Natalie knows nothing of the actual process, live or not, and she has never fired anyone and does not know how to handle upset people. He plays the role of a fired employee to illustrate her inexperience. His boss (Jason Bateman) assigns Natalie to travel on his next round of terminations, much to his annoyance. Throughout the rounds, Natalie is visibly disturbed when firing people face to face.
As they travel and become better acquainted, Natalie questions Ryan's philosophy, but he is satisfied with his lifestyle. During the trip, Natalie is shattered when her boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her by text message. Ryan and Alex try to comfort her. Natalie later lectures Ryan about his refusal to consider a commitment to Alex in spite of their obvious compatibility, and she becomes infuriated; she apologizes later, but they are soon ordered back to Omaha to implement Natalie's program. There are problems during a test run; one laid-off man breaks down in tears before the camera, and she is unable to comfort him.
Instead of returning immediately to Omaha, Ryan convinces Alex to accompany him to his younger sister Julie's (Melanie Lynskey) wedding near Waupaca, Wisconsin. Julie had him (and others) take photos of a cutout picture of her and future husband Jim (Danny McBride) in various places because they cannot afford a honeymoon trip. When Jim gets cold feet, Ryan's older sister talks Ryan into using his motivational skills to persuade Jim to go through with the wedding. Although this runs counter to Ryan's philosophy of non-commitment, he persuades Jim that "everyone needs a co-pilot" and the important moments in life are rarely unshared. The wedding takes place without further problems.
Ryan begins having second thoughts about his own life. As he starts to deliver his "What's In Your Backpack?" speech at a convention in Las Vegas, he realizes he no longer believes it and walks off stage. On impulse, he flies to Alex's home in Chicago, Illinois. When she opens the door, he is stunned to discover that she is married, with children; Ryan leaves without a word. She later tells him on the phone that her family is her real life and he is simply an escape. When she asks him what he wants from their relationship, he is unable to answer. Happy with the arrangement 'as is', she tells him he can still call her if he wants to.
On the flight home, the crew announces that Ryan has just met the ten-million-mile mark. The airline's chief pilot (Sam Elliott) comes out of the cockpit to meet Ryan and give him a special fulfillment card. He notes that Ryan is the youngest person to reach the milestone, only the seventh to do so (as the card is so numbered); Ryan, who had been preparing for this moment for a long time, shows little emotion. When the pilot asks where he's from, Ryan says, "Here."
Back in his office, Ryan calls the airline to transfer five hundred thousand miles each to the newlyweds, enough for them to fly around the world for their honeymoon. His boss then tells Ryan that a woman he and Natalie fired killed herself by jumping from a bridge, as she said she would, and that when Natalie found out, she quit via text message. Ryan claims to have no memory of the employee making the threat. The company puts the remote-layoff program on hold due to government concerns, and Ryan is again "back in the air".
Natalie applies for a job in San Francisco, California. The interviewer is puzzled about why she chose to work for CTC, given her sterling qualifications; she states that she followed a boy. Based on a glowing recommendation from Ryan, he hires her. The film concludes with Ryan in the airport, standing before a vast destination board, looking up, and letting go of his luggage.
Character Analysis
Ryan Bingham
An efficient and sophisticated businessman, Ryan fires people for employers who do not have the stones to do it themselves. His frequent travelling helps form the noncommittal attitude that defines him. During his stay at different hotels, he gives speeches (“What’s in Your Backpack?”) that advise people not to get attached to material things and relationships. This combined with his occupation clarifies why he avoids close personal relationships with others such as his boss and his family. However, he is forced to confront his commitment issues when his female counterpart Alex Goran and the young ambitious Natalie Keener come into his life.
Once Natalie informs the company of saving money by firing people via video chat, Ryan almost immediately recognizes the disadvantages of it. Initially motivated by the possible loss of his travelling privileges, he uses a more empathetic approach by taking the side of the fired employees. The termination process is brutal, but by doing it in person with physical interaction, Ryan believes that it leaves the employee with dignity. He then proceeds to practically humiliate Natalie in front of their boss by telling her that she can’t revolutionize “his business” because she does not understand it. Although Ryan makes his point, he inadvertently convinces his boss to send Natalie with Ryan on the next round of terminations. Ryan only wants Natalie to watch and learn which irks Natalie at first until she realizes that Ryan is arguably the best at what he does. He utilizes his slick rhetoric to comfort the fired workers. Their resumes provide helpful information that Ryan can use to appeal to the worker and give them confidence about the future. Even though his words help console the employees, Ryan does not care what they do next as long as he feels he has performed his job effectively.
Ryan receives a wake-up call when he meets Alex Goran, another white-collar frequent flyer. She piques Ryan’s interest since she shares his noncommittal attitude. However, once Alex talks about her perfect man (who wants a family), Ryan seems willing to change for her. Natalie pesters Ryan about sharing his life with Alex but Ryan denies that he or she would want anything like that. Nevertheless, Ryan puts himself out there by asking Alex to be his date at his sister’s wedding because he doesn’t want to be the lonely guy at the bar.
When Julie tells Ryan that he won’t walk her down the aisle, he begins to realize he hasn’t been involved enough in his sister’s life, and he gets relegated to a guest at his own sister’s wedding. The next day, Ryan opens up to Alex by taking her to his high school and talking about his younger years. Kara calls Ryan and interrupts his time with Alex in order to get him to talk to Jim who has gotten cold feet. Though he is initially hesitant (due to his philosophy), Ryan agrees. Jim addresses his fears of marriage which are the same as Ryan’s, but Ryan has a new perspective. He boldly tells Jim that the best moment’s of one’s life occur with other people so why not have a companion. The wedding proceeds, and Ryan has one of the best moments of his life at the reception with his family and Alex.
After Ryan and Natalie are called off the road, Ryan accepts that he has one address. During his backpack speech in Las Vegas, he discovers he does not believe in his own philosophy and decides to fly to Chicago to see Alex. On his way there, it is clear that he is ready to make a connection with her because he doesn’t care about the discounts or miles anymore. He only cares about the possibility of being with Alex. Ryan is stunned to find out she has a family. On the flight home, Ryan reaches ten million miles - a moment he has dreamed about. However, the man with the slick rhetoric is speechless. This is supposed to be one of the best moments of his life, but he cannot share the milestone with a loved one. Ryan then transfers one million miles to Julie and Jim in order to have a more active role in her life. He also gives them the honeymoon they could not previously afford. At the end, Ryan takes Natalie’s advice on what to do with his miles - look at the destination board in the airport, pick a place, and just “go”.
An efficient and sophisticated businessman, Ryan fires people for employers who do not have the stones to do it themselves. His frequent travelling helps form the noncommittal attitude that defines him. During his stay at different hotels, he gives speeches (“What’s in Your Backpack?”) that advise people not to get attached to material things and relationships. This combined with his occupation clarifies why he avoids close personal relationships with others such as his boss and his family. However, he is forced to confront his commitment issues when his female counterpart Alex Goran and the young ambitious Natalie Keener come into his life.
Once Natalie informs the company of saving money by firing people via video chat, Ryan almost immediately recognizes the disadvantages of it. Initially motivated by the possible loss of his travelling privileges, he uses a more empathetic approach by taking the side of the fired employees. The termination process is brutal, but by doing it in person with physical interaction, Ryan believes that it leaves the employee with dignity. He then proceeds to practically humiliate Natalie in front of their boss by telling her that she can’t revolutionize “his business” because she does not understand it. Although Ryan makes his point, he inadvertently convinces his boss to send Natalie with Ryan on the next round of terminations. Ryan only wants Natalie to watch and learn which irks Natalie at first until she realizes that Ryan is arguably the best at what he does. He utilizes his slick rhetoric to comfort the fired workers. Their resumes provide helpful information that Ryan can use to appeal to the worker and give them confidence about the future. Even though his words help console the employees, Ryan does not care what they do next as long as he feels he has performed his job effectively.
Ryan receives a wake-up call when he meets Alex Goran, another white-collar frequent flyer. She piques Ryan’s interest since she shares his noncommittal attitude. However, once Alex talks about her perfect man (who wants a family), Ryan seems willing to change for her. Natalie pesters Ryan about sharing his life with Alex but Ryan denies that he or she would want anything like that. Nevertheless, Ryan puts himself out there by asking Alex to be his date at his sister’s wedding because he doesn’t want to be the lonely guy at the bar.
When Julie tells Ryan that he won’t walk her down the aisle, he begins to realize he hasn’t been involved enough in his sister’s life, and he gets relegated to a guest at his own sister’s wedding. The next day, Ryan opens up to Alex by taking her to his high school and talking about his younger years. Kara calls Ryan and interrupts his time with Alex in order to get him to talk to Jim who has gotten cold feet. Though he is initially hesitant (due to his philosophy), Ryan agrees. Jim addresses his fears of marriage which are the same as Ryan’s, but Ryan has a new perspective. He boldly tells Jim that the best moment’s of one’s life occur with other people so why not have a companion. The wedding proceeds, and Ryan has one of the best moments of his life at the reception with his family and Alex.
After Ryan and Natalie are called off the road, Ryan accepts that he has one address. During his backpack speech in Las Vegas, he discovers he does not believe in his own philosophy and decides to fly to Chicago to see Alex. On his way there, it is clear that he is ready to make a connection with her because he doesn’t care about the discounts or miles anymore. He only cares about the possibility of being with Alex. Ryan is stunned to find out she has a family. On the flight home, Ryan reaches ten million miles - a moment he has dreamed about. However, the man with the slick rhetoric is speechless. This is supposed to be one of the best moments of his life, but he cannot share the milestone with a loved one. Ryan then transfers one million miles to Julie and Jim in order to have a more active role in her life. He also gives them the honeymoon they could not previously afford. At the end, Ryan takes Natalie’s advice on what to do with his miles - look at the destination board in the airport, pick a place, and just “go”.
Natalie Keener
Natalie represents the younger generation obsessed with technology and innovation. She can communicate with people by text and email, but she has issues with physical confrontation. In front of the office, she uses a predictable script to demonstrate the process of firing someone via video chat. However, the truth is humans are unpredictable - especially after they lose their jobs. Although Natalie seems grown-up, she shows that she is a kid many times. When Ryan tells Natalie that her plan for revolutionizing “his business” is flawed, she takes it personally and pouts.
On the road, Natalie tries to use stats to comfort the laid-off employees. Since most people do not live their lives according to statistics, they retaliate and hurt Natalie’s feelings. Her sympathy towards the workers grows as she sees more empty offices. Natalie then gets a taste of her own medicine when her boyfriend breaks up with her through a text message. This starts to change her attitude about her method of firing people. In Detroit, when Natalie fires someone over the computer for the first time, she realizes the flaws in her system and the value of physical interaction. She then revises the process by preparing the termination engineers with a wide variety of hypothetical scenarios. The revised process, however, never comes to fruition when she quits after learning that one of the fired employees killed herself.
Ryan gives Natalie a glowing review at her new job after she leaves a job she does not love and helps teach him how to commit.
Natalie represents the younger generation obsessed with technology and innovation. She can communicate with people by text and email, but she has issues with physical confrontation. In front of the office, she uses a predictable script to demonstrate the process of firing someone via video chat. However, the truth is humans are unpredictable - especially after they lose their jobs. Although Natalie seems grown-up, she shows that she is a kid many times. When Ryan tells Natalie that her plan for revolutionizing “his business” is flawed, she takes it personally and pouts.
On the road, Natalie tries to use stats to comfort the laid-off employees. Since most people do not live their lives according to statistics, they retaliate and hurt Natalie’s feelings. Her sympathy towards the workers grows as she sees more empty offices. Natalie then gets a taste of her own medicine when her boyfriend breaks up with her through a text message. This starts to change her attitude about her method of firing people. In Detroit, when Natalie fires someone over the computer for the first time, she realizes the flaws in her system and the value of physical interaction. She then revises the process by preparing the termination engineers with a wide variety of hypothetical scenarios. The revised process, however, never comes to fruition when she quits after learning that one of the fired employees killed herself.
Ryan gives Natalie a glowing review at her new job after she leaves a job she does not love and helps teach him how to commit.
Alex Goran
Alex is almost exactly like Ryan in that she shares his affinity for isolation. She loves Ryan’s freedom from commitments and admires his backpack talks. I think Alex is truly despicable. Alex, an unfaithful married woman, lets Ryan take her to his sister’s wedding. Not only does she lead Ryan to believe that she is single throughout the film, but she leaves the door open for a casual relationship after he finds out about her family. Though Ryan is heartbroken after he discovers the truth, I think the hurt comes from when Alex talks about how Ryan isn’t part of her real life. No matter how terrible she might be, Alex inadvertently helps Ryan realize that he can commit and share a life with someone.
Alex is almost exactly like Ryan in that she shares his affinity for isolation. She loves Ryan’s freedom from commitments and admires his backpack talks. I think Alex is truly despicable. Alex, an unfaithful married woman, lets Ryan take her to his sister’s wedding. Not only does she lead Ryan to believe that she is single throughout the film, but she leaves the door open for a casual relationship after he finds out about her family. Though Ryan is heartbroken after he discovers the truth, I think the hurt comes from when Alex talks about how Ryan isn’t part of her real life. No matter how terrible she might be, Alex inadvertently helps Ryan realize that he can commit and share a life with someone.