There’s so much I could say about Paramount Pictures’ recent release Up in the Air. Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick, this movie takes an honest look at many of the challenges facing workers in the United States today.
Ryan Bingham, an emotionally cool road warrior and motivational speaker has made a career of breaking the news to (former) employees that they have been laid off. Let go. Anything but the big F-word: Fired. Delivering a canned, scripted speech summarized in the phrase “today is the first day of the rest of your life,” Bingham breaks the news to execs all over the country that they’re joining the rolls of the unemployed. Executives too wimpy to let go those they brought on board outsource the unenviable task to Bingham’s company.
Bingham loves life on the road, and in fact has a goal of achieving 10-million American Airlines Advantage miles. In a hotel bar he meets a lady road warrior named Alex (Vera Farmiga) and the two begin a casual relationship, often hooking up when their travels place them within range of one another.
Bingham is also burdened with the onerous task of training Cornell graduate and recent hire Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) in the art of dismissing employees. Ironically, Keener’s forward-thinking ideas and use of social media may lead to the demise of the airport-and-hotel cocoon Bingham isolates himself in.
Along the way, Keener and Bingham learn a few things from each other, especially concering life, relationships, and commitment. Bingham begins to question his isolation from his family and his detached worldview. The romance aspect of the film (there’s always gotta be some of that, right?) takes a unique and non-disappointing twist.
Throughout the film I had to laugh at how glamorized Clooney’s role made air travel look. I was raised in an airline home, and I’ve seen my fair share of 737s and Holiday Inns. The stale air. The cramped seats. Heavy Luggage. Sagging mattresses. Awful food. Life on the road is not quite the plush-beds, champagne, first-class leather seating picnic that Bingham makes it appear to be.
As an aside, American Airlines did confirm that the very elite of its elite AA Advantage members do in fact receive some of the most personalized, outstanding service, as Bingham is privy to throughout the film. AA even went so far as to say a top-tier traveler who would’ve been inconvenienced by a schedule change was actually ferried to his location on a private jet—at the company’s expense. If you’ve got the money to jet set like that, why the hell would you even attempt to fly commercial? I’d just buy the private jet…
Back on subject. Up in the Air is a gritty look at what many Americans have faced in the past year or so as companies have downsized. In fact, many of the extras for this film were ordinary people who had lost their jobs and were given the opportunity to reenact their response to the news of dismissal for a national audience. It made the film not just a romantic, dark dramaedy, but added a real slice of Americana.
As people yelled, cursed, cried and asked questions like, “How will I pay my mortgage? What do I tell my family?” I realized the importance of having a plan B. Today’s corporate scene— while someplace I hope to move into a career in soon—is volatile, and every employee truly is just a number. Being prepared for a dismissal at any time can make the transition much easier and keep one from alienating higher ups at the company who’s doing the letting go. I must admit, Bingham’s “no-trust, no-fear” mentality resonates a little bit with myself.
Now that I’m done giving my practical application of this film, I’ll leave you with one final thought. Clooney is a great actor and I admire most anything he stars in. Up in the Air is a fantastic film definitely worth seeing. Sobering at times, visiting the Cineplex today was a great way to kick off 2010.
View the trailer to Up in the Air from Paramount:
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