Up in the Air review

Up in the Air is about Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a man who's job is to fire people for a living, who ends up as a mentor of sorts for Natalie (Anna Kendrick), an ambitious girl straight out of college looking to get into the business. When I first heard about the plot I was less than impressed. However, after hearing from multiple friends (and almost every single review I read) about how great it is, I decided I needed to see it. And I'm so glad I did. Up in the Air is one of the best movies of the year, and it's sure to be nominated for "Best Picture" at the Oscars. One of the best elements of the movie is that it's so inherently aware of its tone, which I think is a rarity in movies these days. It was a mix of drama and somewhat dark humor, but the blend was so seemless that it didn't feel forced or misguided (which is how I felt about the movie Funny People, and is one of the main reasons I think it flopped). The script is very witty and had a bunch of great one-liners, some that even had the entire audience in my theater clapping. However, Up in the Air is not a particularly fast-paced movie. That is definitely something you should know going in. It never felt slow or like it was dragging, but it kept the same steady pace from the very beginning to the very end. If this is going to be a problem for you, skip it. But if you don't mind spending two hours getting deeply immersed in these characters and their views on life, I highly recommend it! That's another one of the shinning elements of this film...the incredible character development. By the end of the film, you feel like you really, truly know all three of the main characters. You know their mindset, their strengths and their weaknesses. George Clooney, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga are all perfect in their roles, and play them with great depth. So I'm going to keep this short and sweet, and just end on this note: if you're someone who appreciates a really great script with relatable, well-developed characters, definitely see Up in the Air. You'll be sure to hear much more about this movie come Academy Awards time, I guarantee it!