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George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride ... see more see more... , Melanie Lynskey , Amy Morton , Sam Elliott , J.K. Simmons , Zach Galifianakis , Chris Lowell , Adam Rose , Norman Reedus , Tamala Jones

Jason Reitman's adaptation of the novel Up in the Air tells the story of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), who makes his living personally handing out pink slips -- he's the top hatchet man at a company ... read more read more...that other companies hire when they are downsizing. And since business is booming, his job keeps him on the go constantly. He flies all across the country, staying in a series of nice hotels. And although this itinerant lifestyle prevents him from having any kind of stable, regular life, this doesn't bother him in the slightest -- he's thrilled to be a boy in a traveling bubble. During one particular layover, he strikes up a conversation with Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga), a fellow savvy traveler. They bond over the ins and outs of various airlines and hotels, and quickly fall into bed. By morning, they are figuring out when their schedules will allow them to meet up again, even though they both make it clear that there are no strings attached. When Ryan arrives back in the home office, he meets no-nonsense career-oriented twentysomething Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), a fast-rising up-and-comer who wants to change the company's practices and save millions by having the staff fire people remotely via webcams. Furious at the thought of losing a lifestyle he's grown quite comfortable with, he convinces his boss (Jason Bateman) to let him take Natalie on a few trips so that she can learn what it's really like to fire someone. Melanie Lynskey, Danny McBride, and J.K. Simmons co-star in this Best Picture Academy Award nominee. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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76% liked it

200,715 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

257 critics

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Directed by: Jason Reitman

Release Date: December 4, 2009

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DVD Release Date: March 9, 2010

Stats: 17,001 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (17,001)

  • aquateen2
    April 9, 2012
    aquateen2
    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img]

    Up in the Air is not an earth shattering drama we have not seen done before. George Clooney is great in his role as a heartless individual who eventually turns a new leaf to be a good man but we've seen h... read moreim play this role dozens of times. He's an actor with one face and this is him doing the Oceans Eleven and The Men Who Stare At Goats guy yet again. I liked the first half because it was briliant black comedy with Clooney doing something new. Up in the Air is actually an annoyingly snooty and schmultsy film that loses it's heartless tone of humour in the latter half because of it's need as a mainstream film to have a cheesy morality appeal and a eye rolling sobby romance substory. Director Jason Reitman made a similar mistake with Thankyou for Smoking but Thankyou For Smoking had a more likable Aaron Eckhart as a horrible businessman and in contrast, Clooney's horrible character; Ryan Bingham, is never likable as Clooney playing the role. It also managed to keep some of it's edge but Up in the Air lost it entirely to please a mainstream audience which is unlike director Jason Reitman who directed Juno. Sky Movies called this a "first class comedy". It honestly is in the wrong sense, a sophisticated, posh film that I knew would become Oscar bait. And quite often it's a very dislikable, depressing film.
  • fb1463751009
    March 8, 2012
    fb1463751009
    "Up in the Air" is an ensemble dramedy that evenly balances all of its narrative aspects and puts them together to make a deeply satisfying story of a damaged man. As you can probably tell, its magnificently directed with apt editing and an extremely clever and sharp script. "Up ... read morein the Air" is a transcendental achievement that works as both an effective comedy and a commanding drama that isn't reliant on familiar narrative arcs or mechanics.
  • fb1378820053
    February 21, 2012
    fb1378820053
    Beautifully directed, Beautifully Acted, Beautiful Film. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, who's job is to travel America and fire people. Up in the air is a perfect blend of Humour and Romance. George Clooney is fantastic in the lead role. Brilliant Heart warming Comedy from th... read moree creators of Juno..
  • rjayhutchinson
    February 6, 2012
    rjayhutchinson
    I've seen this film at least seven or eight times. It's one of my favorites because it blends together so many important emotional themes into a striking cinematic balance of drama and comedy that most anyone will enjoy and relate to. But also, having seen it as much as I have, I... read more can say that I still get something new out of it with each viewing. That's one of the hallmarks of a great film. Is Up in the Air perfect? Certainly not. It has its small flaws. But they're all forgivable when the larger picture is considered. George Clooney's character is what modern technologies are turning us all into. We're surrounded by people, yet many of us remain reclusive. Peering into his worldview for a while teaches us a little about how we should live our own lives. Is this a new cinematic concept? Hardly. Are the messages earth-shattering? Not at all. But the film is well-directed, well-acted, well-written, and highly enjoyable. I can't complain.
  • jennifxu
    December 25, 2011
    jennifxu
    I think, I liked it a lot better the second time around. There's a genuine, emotional core to Clooney's flippant remarks about lifestyle and burn-baby-burn mentality that I didn't get so much the first time around. I have grown to really respect Jason Reitman as a director, and I... read more think he's improved tremendously from "Thank You for Smoking" to "Juno" to this movie to "Young Adult," so I'm very excited to see what he's come up with next. One day he'll pull out a masterpiece.
  • fb1664868775
    November 20, 2011
    fb1664868775
    An impressive follow up to Juno, the younger Reitman uses George Clooney perfectly.
  • kenstachnik
    November 13, 2011
    kenstachnik
    Really good, but not great.
  • fb1576983399
    October 22, 2011
    fb1576983399
    A great movie depending on who you are. I can relate heavily to the story's protagonist so I may be bias, but this is a great movie. Good performance by Clooney (obvously).
  • fb732260458
    August 2, 2011
    fb732260458
    This movie is so deceptive: It swiftly wins your undivided attention with the witty dialogue and sharp direction, and then rips your soul apart with the emotional turmoil and sobering ending. Furthermore, it manages to comment on the current Economic crisis in a way most media ha... read moresn't even attempted.
  • wildaly14
    July 3, 2011
    wildaly14
    Enjoyable.

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Critic Reviews

Lou Lumenick
January 4, 2010
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

The pitch-perfect direction by Jason Reitman perfectly balances comedy and drama. Full Review

Tom Long
December 24, 2009
Tom Long, Detroit News

Director Jason Reitman brings such splendid balance and nuance to Bingham's story that you can't hate the man; indeed you end up pitying him. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
December 11, 2009
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

From taxi to touchdown, Reitman knows how to get us to the next destination. Full Review

Roger Moore
December 10, 2009
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Jason Reitman's dry, moving "comedy," based on the Walter Kirn novel, is a sly indictment of Corporate America, Marketing America and Frequent Flying America. Full Review

A.O. Scott
December 7, 2009
A.O. Scott, At the Movies

I think that this is a classic in the making. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
December 6, 2009
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle

Once again, Reitman the screenwriter gives Reitman the director an excuse to ponder the spaces between us and the ties that bind. Or don't. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
December 4, 2009
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

It's hard to think of an actor who's better at projecting the professional smoothness that's essential to make this character palatable, but Clooney turns out to be willing to take that persona further. Full Review

Richard Roeper
December 4, 2009
Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com

If Reitman's first two films were triples, this is a home run. Full Review

Christopher Orr
December 4, 2009
Christopher Orr, New Republic

Reitman has given us a witty, elegant movie that is nonetheless, like its protagonist, somewhat aloof from the vicissitudes experienced by mere mortals. Full Review

Rick Groen
December 4, 2009
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Reitman possesses a flair for off-kilter scenarios, and he's in fine form again, taking his triangulated principals -- Ryan, Alex, Keener -- out of their comfort zones and into a more complicated geom... Full Review

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    • Ryan Bingham: Tonight most people will be welcomed home by jumping dogs and squealing kids, their spouses will ask about their day, tonight they'll sleep, the stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places and one of those lights slightly brighter than the rest will be my wing-tail passing over.
    • Ryan Bingham: Are you angry at your computer?
    • Natalie Keener: I type with purpose.
    • Natalie Keener: Wow, that was impressive. You gonna put that in your book?
    • Ryan Bingham: If you think about it, your favorite memories, the most important moments in your life... were you alone? Life's better with company.
    • Ryan Bingham: How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams?
    • Natalie Keener: How can you not think about that? How does it not even cross your mind that you might want a future with someone?
    • Ryan Bingham: It's simple; you know that moment when you look into somebody's eyes and you can feel them staring into your soul and the whole world goes quiet... just for a second?
    • Natalie Keener: Yes!
    • Ryan Bingham: Right, well I don't.
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