Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he's met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.
That is the synopsis according to imdb.com. It's a pretty accurate one too. I will tell you up front that Up in the Air is not nearly as fresh as the marketing leads you to believe. It is, however, one of the best performances of George Clooney's career. He plays the lead part with a quiet tone that you usually don't see from him. He still has the swagger of someone who is happy with their life, but none of the arrogance that Danny Ocean or Jack Foley display.
I say that this movie isn't anything fresh because it is a plot that you have seen before. A person (man or woman) who makes no time for love puts all they have into work. Work becomes their lover. Then somewhere along the way they meet someone who challenges that belief system and slowly but surely they begin to take a detour from their "old" way of life and bravely journey into a new era. Then near the end one of two things happens: they live happily ever after or they get their heart stomped flatter than a pancake. The latter of the two options is usually resolved by the person taking what they have learned from the other (now very disliked) person applies it to their lives. I won't tell you which side Up in the Air falls on, but it really doesn't matter.
The thing to watch in this movie are the performances. The three main characters (Clooney, Vera Farmiga as the pretty woman who is just as dedicated to work as Clooney, and newcomer Anna Kendrick as the protege to Clooney who challenges his way of life) all give great performances. They come at the roles in a very natural way that feels real as opposed to how some actors try to just emote the right way. Clooney though is very good at that kind of subtle introspection that makes you think he is really working over something in his mind. Just watch Ocean's Eleven and you'll know what I mean.
The other notable aspect of this movie is the photography. It was done in a very natural, if slightly unsaturated way that makes the movie look more like real life. Especially the way the director Jason Reitman takes the camera from fluid moves when Clooney's life is focused to the Soderbergh style of handheld shooting near the end. It is all designed to inform you that there are changes on all levels going on with Clooney, and we should take note.
All said, this movie was fun to watch. It wasn't the best of last year, and in my mind certainly doesn't deserve the Oscar nod for best picture or best director, but what do I know.
No comments:
Post a Comment