Ms. Amused

I had the strangest feeling that I was watching Fight Club… but minus the fights.

Both deal with individuals that travel excessively for work and have isolated themselves from society but realize that there’s something to be said for it after all.

I really liked Up In the Air. For some reason, I’d thought it was just another romantic comedy but the raves and the eventual Oscar talk had me puzzled and wondering what I was missing. There is romance in it but it’s definitely not to be pigeon-holed in with The Wedding Planner or Runaway Bride.

George Clooney played his usual character: charming, debonair, suave, thinks he’s in control. He plays it very well but since he doesn’t vary from this very much (admittedly I haven’t seen Syriana or Men Who Stare At Goats) in recent years, it’s hard to give him much credit for the acting part of it. On the other hand, he’s not exactly just walking through the part either.

The person that really impressed me was the actress, Anna Kendrick, who played the pipsqueak upstart who threatens the main character’s way of life by bringing change to his company that takes him off the road where he wants to be. So much emotion was conveyed in the slightest changes of the character’s attempt to present a stoic professional front that it was really fascinating to note how much was said even when she wasn’t saying anything.

I also really liked the actress that played the lover, Vera Farmiga. Love to see a female character that’s sexy, hot and confident without being stereotyped as some kind of bitch at the same time.

For a long time, I’ve had fun with seeing Jason Bateman appear in what feels like more than half the movies I see these days, playing various bit parts. But I’m getting a little tired of him as the executive/accountant/boss type especially when played as somewhat socially awkward. It’s time to stop typecasting him as his iconic role from Arrested Development. Sure it works well in Hancock, but give him some other stuff to do. Like… the lawyer in Smoking Aces. I finally saw that the other day and every second of his few minutes of total screentime was a hoot!

I’m fine with it having the Oscar nomination especially since there were 10 slots for that this year but its competition definitely rises above Up In The Air.

Recommendation: MUST WATCH, you’ll probably end up buying it. I think I will.

One note, it did not bother me, the underlying basis for the plotline that about mass firing people. I’m thankfully employed but know many who aren’t. Perhaps I’m not feeling it as personally but it simply seemed very contemporary and whether we like it or not, layoffs are common in bad times.