Movie Review: Up in the Air

Jason Reitman's Up in the Air, about a corporate downsizer Ryan (George Clooney) and his sojourns, his philosophy and the people he meets along the way, makes for a poignant watch. Making his living travelling to various workplaces in the country firing people from their jobs, the movie beautifully charts his transition from someone who espouses freedom from relationships with people and things, an analogy to packing lightly when one travels, to firmly believing 'everyone needs a co-pilot' in their lives. Its observant depiction of recession-hit America notwithstanding, it handles the subject matter with the right mix of comedy (if you want to call it that way) and emotion, while touching upon issues of mass unemployment and the extent to which technology plays at role in alienating people's lives. The two aspects of Ryan, one who flies around the world firing people and one who flees from responsibility and his shot at true love, is well explored, and Clooney, Farmiga and Kendrick deliver stellar performances, lending a lot of credibility to the characters they portray on screen. Very satisfying and a must watch!